Tidestar's Path
by Willowsong of ThunderClan
Summary: After Tidekit's mother leaves him, nothing in his life seems to go right. He's Half-Clan, so that puts a large dent in his plans in being a loyal warrior of RiverClan. His father betrays him and finds a new mate, leaving only his sister left. Can he be the loyal warrior that he dreams of?
1. Prologue

_Fog clung like burrs snatched _upon a cat's fur, hanging low on the forest ground. The trees didn't dare move, as the wind had calmed itself for the eery presence of the night. There wasn't a sound to be heard, but then a loud rustle in sliced through the silence.

"Oakwind!" A voice whispered, her voice muffled with two small kits that hung in her jaws. She had ThunderClan scent on her, and was right on the border between the two Clans. Her pelt was a beautiful shade of dark silver with swirls of paler gray, her eyes a dark blue like the night's sky just after sunset.

"Oakwind!" She called again, struggling to keep up her two kits who had began to mewl in protest against the cold air, which, wasn't very cold, but considering their lack of fur, they were freezing.

Then, a handsome brown tabby emerged from the reed thicket, his pelt drenching with river water.

"Mistflower." The tom panted, his eyes longing with sadness. "You don't have to do this."

"No." Mistflower responded, staring at the ground uncomfortably. "I have to. You understand how much this means to me."

Oakwind's amber eyes showed no emotion, but he was clearly upset with Mistflower's decision. A long silence came between them, and the only thing that could be heard was the mewling of the kits and crickets that hummed in the trees and bracken.

"Just come with me in RiverClan- you'll live a happy life, with me, with our kits!" Oakwind tried to protest, but Mistflower would hear none of it.

"I can't." She whispered. "You know how much this means to me. If I go…" Mistflower's voice trailed off as she saw the painful look on Oakwind's face. "You know my Clan will come back for me, and the kits!"

"I won't be the same without you. I don't know how to raise these kits. Just stay until ThunderClan comes to get you, and still, I'll fight to keep you and the kits here, just hear me out." Oakwind's eyes were now begging Mistflower, silently pleading her to not do this.

"Fine." Oakwind darkened expression lightened with joy. "I'll stay with you."


	2. Chapter 1

**IslaTheFairyOfIce: aw, thanks!**

**Allegiances**

**RiverClan**

**Leader**

**Rushstar- light brown tom with blue eyes**

**Deputy**

**Cherrynose- dark ginger she-cat**

**Medicine Cat**

**Fernstripe- pale gray she-cat with darker stripes**

**Warriors**

**Oakwind- handsome white tom with brown patches and amber eyes**

**Creekfish- glossy furred silver she-cat**

**Apprentice, Quietpaw**

**Minnowleap- black she-cat with green eyes**

**Apprentice, Petalpaw**

**Pikefang- long furred dark brown tabby tom**

**Apprentice, Barkpaw**

**Ripplepool- silver and black tom**

**Waterflame- gray she-cat with bright orange eyes**

**Brownfeather- dappled brown tom**

**Hailwing- thin gray she-cat**

**Shellclaw- cream colored tom**

**Appledusk- dark cream she-cat with green eyes**

**Apprentices**

**Quietpaw- pitch black tom with a nicked ear and yellow-amber eyes**

**Barkpaw- dark brown tabby tom with a scar over left eye**

**Queens**

**Mistflower- gorgeous misty gray she-cat with deep blue eyes (mother to Oakwind's kits; Tidekit; handsome brown tabby tom with a white muzzle and deep blue eyes, and Swankit; beautiful white she-cat with vivid amber eyes)**

**Silverdove- slender, pale silver she-cat with green eyes (mother to Rushstar's kit; Leafkit; long-furred cream colored she-cat with dark brown splashes and beautiful dark amber eyes)**

**Rosetail- dark ginger she-cat (expecting Brownfeather's kits)**

**Elders**

**Trouttail- gray tabby tom**

**Bluecloud- bluish gray she-cat**

Chapter One

_Tidekit had been waiting all day for Swankit._ When would she just open her eyes already? Tidekit did suppose that maybe he should have waited so that they could open their eyes at the same time, but how was he supposed to know when to open his own eyes? Oakwind told him he was an "early bloomer" and Swankit would open her eyes when the time came.

Oakwind was a smart cat, one of the smartest in the Clan to be exact. _He would know, right? _

Tidekit had his paws up against the side of Swankit's and Mistflower's nest. He brought his head down to his paws and sat, like a dog wagging his tail and waiting for its Twoleg.

"Mistflower, can I wake her?" He asked, turning his attention to his mother. Mistflower looked down from grooming her paw to answer her son.

"No, just wait."

Tidekit grumbled but went back to his post of watching his sister. _Come on, Swankit! Wake up, I want to go exploring!_

Perhaps Swankit didn't hear his silent plea, but instrad she wrinkled her small pink nose and twitched her snow-white ears. Maybe she sensed his precense.

Then, Swankit opened her eyes to reveal vivid amber orbs. _Finally!_

"Yay!" Tidekit cheered. "Come on, Swankit, now we can go explore camp!"

Swankit purred and stepped out of her nest for the first time, her legs still shaky, but she was able to walk around the nursery.

"Be safe!" Their mother called before the kits ran out of the den.

"Yeah, yeah, we will!" They replied at the same time, but didn't hear their mother mutter a quick, "no you won't."

|^..^|^..^|^..^|

The camp was bigger than Tidepaw could have imagined. They had seen alost all of the warriors, and know had nothing better to do than play with Leafkit. She was the only other kit in the nursery, and although Tidekit enjoyed her company, he still couldn't wait until Rose

"So," Leafpaw began as she tossed the moss-ball back to Tidekit. "What's up?"

"The sky." Swankit replied for him, clawing the ball and sending it strait past Tidekit. Tidekit couldn't resist but chuckle a bit as he lunged for the moss-ball, but missed, and landed with a thud on the ground, and then tumbled over and over until he landed upside-down to see Leafkit and Tidekit laughing and walking on the sky.

He instantly sat upright, shaking leaves off his head and blowing them to come off.

"Ow." He grunted.

"Hey! It wasn't _that _funny." Tidekit hissed.

Leafkit and Swankit sighed at the same time, their eyes both filled with laughter.

"Sorry, Tidekit." Swankit meowed, although she didn't sound apologetic. "Actually, it was rather funny."

Tidekit tilted his head in agreement, and then ignored the two she-cats. He was about to hiss a snappy retort, but a loud yowl was heard from across camp.

Mistflower poked her head out of the nursery, and looked shocked to see the cats that had padded into camp. Tidekit didn't know much, but he could tell it was a small ThunderClan patrol of four, and looking by the way they were walking, this was not a raid.

"Hailpelt!" Rushstar ran across camp to meet the ThundeClan patrol, and the tom who was in the lead, Hailpelt. "What is the meaning of this?"

Tidekit and Swankit rushed toward their mother, hiding behind her and away from the ThunderClan warriors.

"What's going on?" Tidekit whispered to his mother, looking up to match her eyes with his, although she did not look down, but continued to stare at the patrol as they talked to Rushstar.

"Get in the nursery." Mistflower ordered, padding out of camp and into the rain, which had only begun to fall a heartbeat ago.

_What's going on?_

Mistflower had an angry look on her face, but approached the patrol as if she wasn't afraid of anything.

"You have no right." She hissed. "You have _no _right to take them from me!"

"Mistflower, it's a matter of principle. ThunderClan needs warriors, and you can't just run away with two kits that belong to us!" Hailpelt protested.

Tidekit knew he shouldn't be watching, but this was his mother, and he felt the need to listen. His mother probably didn't know he was watching, as he was hiding behind a thing wall of reeds, and could only see slices of the cats who were talking.

"Just leave her alone!" Oakwind hissed. "This is her decision, she can do what she pleases!"

"Oakwind, there's no need to get angry." Rushstar growled, flicking his tail to silence the brown warrior. "You've already broken the code, don't make it worse."

Oakwind muttered something under his breath that Tidekit didn't quite catch, but he knew for sure it wasn't good.

"Fine." Hailpelt growled. "Either you or the kits go to ThunderClan."

_No! Mistflower, stay with us! _

"And if I don't?" Mistflower threatened. "What then?"

"Then we will fight for these kits."

Silence swept through camp, and it seemed as if every cat in the Clans were holding their breaths against Mistflower's decision.

"Mistflower, RiverClan will fight for these kits if that is your wish."

Mistflower looked as if she were concentrating hard. What would she chose? Her family, or her birth Clan?

"Take me. Leave the kits here, I will go with you." Mistflower had a hint of sadness in her voice, and after that, Tidekit only saw a blurr of Oakwind yowling in protest at the ThunderClan deputy, and then going to say goodbye.

|^..^|^..^|^..^|

Saying goodbye was the hardest part. All of this was so unexpected, although he knew his mother was from ThunderClan. The saddest part wasn't Mistflower leaving, it was Swankit's hopefull expression.

"Where are you going?" She asked cheerfully, obviously she hadn't heard the conversation.

"Your mother's going off to ThunderClan for a while." Oakwind meowed, licking his daughter roughly on her head.

Mistflower was just giving them the long speech about how she loved them, and no matter how far away she was, she would never stop loving them. Tidekit sat by her, not wanting her to leave.

It was all a blurr when the ThunderClan cats took Mistflower away, the one cat that would truly be his mother.

"Mistflower-" Tidekit had tried to cut in, maybe say something, but he knew what she was doing was probably right. She was only trying to protect Tidekit and Swankit from an oncoming war that would be caused if she stayed.

He felt like his mother had only been part of short life for a couple of heartbeats, although it was really a half-moon. Why did ThunderClan have to pry her away from him? It had been a half-moon, why didn't they just keep her there so Tidekit would have never been so attatched to her?

Maybe he'd never know. ThunderClan cats were never very smart, although Mistflower was the one of the smartest ats he knew. He might see her again, but it wouldn't be the same.

"Be good." Was all that Mistflower said to Tidekit before vanishing behind the reeds, out of RiverClan's camp, and out of his life forever.


	3. Chapter 2

**PrincessKatniss02: thanks!**

_Grief and silence greeted Tidekit as _he Swankit, and Oakwind sat by the edge of the river, as if they were waiting for Mistflower to return to them.

"Why did she have to go?" Swankit asked, looking at her father with amber eyes that gleamed with sadness.

"Because she needs to be loyal to her Clan." Oakwind responded, his voice not showing any emotion.

_What if I go with her to ThunderClan? _Tidekit thought, then shook the thought out of his head. _I could never survive in a forest full of bracken in my face all the time. Besides, how can you be a loyal warrior if move out of your birth Clan? _

Then, another thought came to Tidekit. _I'll be the best RiverClan warrior there ever was, and I won't let ThunderClan stop me. Just because they took my mother, doesn't mean they prevent me from being loyal, even if I'm a half-clan._

|^..^|^..^|^..^|

It had been at least a moon and a half since Mistflower had gone, and there hadn't been a word of her since. Over the course of time Tidekit had mostly forgotten about her disappearance, and felt as if she were never there in the first place.

He resented this- the fact that he was moving on from her. Oakwind, of course, never forgave. And he never forgot. Everyday he would tell Tidekit and Swankit that he would get her back somehow, but he grew colder from the trail with every passing hour, and Tidekit had begun to think that Oakwind didn't really want her back. He hated this, too. Surely his father wanted his mate back?

And as the days grew longer, Oakwind had began to forget his promise, and life moved on. But Tidekit was now more determined to protect Swankit.

"Hey, Tidekit!" Leafkit mewed from the nursery. "Did you here I'm becoming an apprentice in two moons!"

"That's great!" Tidekit meowed. Leafkit was two moons older than him, and he would be an apprentice in four moons. "I wish I were your age."

"I have been counting the moons until I'm an apprentice, and starting today we'll be there at two moons!"

Leafkit had no siblings, and Tidekit had always felt bad for her because of that. She did have another littermates named Nettlekit, but she died shortly after birth.

Although Tidekit was unbelievably upset about his mother, he had made new friends and a new family. But he still never forgot.

_I guess everything's alright. Although Mistflower's gone, life moves on. Everything's going pretty good so far, I like living in RiverClan._


	4. Chapter 3

**Moonofbetrayal: thanks!**

**Frozenstream of Oakclan: thanks for the review!**

**Quiet Shadows of Insomniac: no, you didn't offend me, and I've been told several times that all my stories are the same and there were all told to me… well, less kind than you did. But I'm glad you like my stories!**

**YayBubble: thanks! But I never thought Tidekit would be the revenge type, after all, he is beginning to already forget Mistflower. But I'm not sure about Oakwind, he might surprise you, and he might even surprise me…**

_As Tidekit made his way to the fresh-kill pile_ to see his father,he saw something he did not expect. Oakwind was eating a trout and sharing tongues with Appledusk.

_Weird. _He thought. Suddenly, he was toppled over by an unknown cat.

"Hey!" He growled as he saw his attacker, Leafkit.

"Ha! Gotcha!" She growled.

"Get off of me!" He hissed, attempting to push Leafkit off, but only was pinned to the ground again.

"Alright, alright, you win." He admitted, and Leafkit happily leaped off.

He sighed as he saw his friend pad off toward the nursery. He wished that he would be an apprentice, so he could learn how to fight better. He also wanted to keep his promise, he _had _to be the best warrior in RiverClan.

|^..^|^..^|^..^|

"What is it?"

"It's a kit, mouse-brain."

"Where did it come from?"

"Who knows, maybe Pikefang finally got a mate."

All of these murmurs and whispered skittered around camp as Pikefang entered camp with a small kit swaying from his jaws, taking it to the leader's den.

After what seemed like moons, Rushstar emerged from the den and addressed his Clan:

"All cats old enough to swim in the river, gather here beneath the Tall Rock for a Clan meeting!" He yowled, drawing the attention of the warriors in the Clan.

Tidekit didn't exit the nursery, but peeked his head out and listened intently to Rushstar.

"Pikefang has found-" Rushstar stopped when he said "found" as if he were lying. "A kit by Twolegplace that was injured. I have agreed to keep the kit here-"

Rushstar looked at the small she-kit. "Her name shall be Echokit, and I'm sure Silverdove will be more than glad to take her in."

Rushstar flicked his tail, acknowledging the Clan that the meeting was over.

_Great. Even more kits. _

Echokit was nice, thought, as she proved in the first day if living in RiverClan. She acted shy around Tidekit, but was always nice to him. He'd also suspected that Pikefang was the real father, and the mother was a rogue or a kittypet. Either way, Echokit couldn't survive on her own, whoever she was. Tidekit never asked, and Echokit never talked about it.

Golden sunlight filtered into the nursery as Tidekit opened his eyes and then screwed them shut against the sun. He stretched out his paws, accidentally hitting Leafkit.

His new foster mother had been Silverdove, considering that there was no other cat in the nursery to do it.

"Sorry," He whispered, but the cream she-cat with dark brown splashes didn't hear him, and continued snoring quietly.

He smiled weakly, his eyes gazing upon Leafkit gently as he watched the rise and fall of her pelt.

Tidekit quickly acted like he was sleeping when he saw Leafkit curl her paws over her head and yawned, beginning to wake up.

One by one, the cats in the nursery began to wake up.

"Good morning, Swankit, Tidekit." Oakwind's shuttle voice meowed, sounding through the nursery.

"Good morning, Oakwind." Swankit and Tidekit meowed at the same time.

"I brought you a trout." Oakwind said with a mouthful of fish hanging from his jaws.

Tidekit licked his lips, but stopped.

"Won't we be getting milk?" He asked.

Oakwind sighed, beckoning his kits out of nursery as if he were about to have a long talk.

"You're old enough now, and Silverdove can't supply you forever, it's time you moved on."

Tidekit shrugged, and took a bit of the fish, but stopped as Appledusk approached. Oakwind purred and rubbed muzzles with her, and Tidekit could help but feel a little betrayed.

_Moved on? Is that what you're doing with Appledusk? Moving on?_

**So I have a few questions for you:**

**1) Has Oakwind surprised you yet?**

**2) Who do you think Tidekit's mate or lover will be? (Can't be an OC)**

**So, only way to find out is to REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**


	5. Chapter 4

**Yaybubble: yeah, true, but I never intended for Echokit or Airkit to be Tidekit's mate, but now that I have them, I don't know what is next for them…**

**Frozenstream of Oakclan: haha, but I actually lik****e Ashfur, sure he was crazy, but he was a good character before he went nuts.**

**Id65: wait, I searched it and nothing came up. Do you men the author or the story? Have you read it before? I don't know, I've just been dying to read it, but if you do however, find out, that'd be great. But thanks for reviewing!**

**Amberstorm223: it takes place in the old forest territory, before Firestar and Bluestar and all of the main characters**

**Well, I must say, this story is going far better than I planned. 4 chapters and 18 reviews! Good Lord! Anyways, thanks for the support. Here's the next chaper :D**

_"Teach me some more!" Tidekit _pleaded.

Quietpaw purred as his amber-yellow gaze landed on Tidekit.

"I've already taught you everything…" He meowed. "_Twice._"

"I know," Tidekit meowed, exasperated with boredom. "Can we just try battle training?"

Quietpaw sighed, looking at Tidekit, Swankit, Airkit and Leafkit, as they eagerly waited for some training from Quietpaw.

"Fine."

"Yes!" The kits squealed at the same time.

"Let me go get Barkpaw, he'll help." Quietpaw said, rushing off to the apprentices' den to fetch Barkpaw, whom Tidekit had heard of, but never met him.

A dark brown tabby tom emerged from the apprentices' den.

"So battle training, eh?" He asked, looking at Quietpaw. The black tom nodded. "Tidekit has become real good at it. I figured he could help out some more."

Tidekit nodded, impatient to get back to battle training. Barkpaw was well known for being the best at fighting out of the apprentices, and was even better than some warriors.

The kits looked up at the huge, towering Barkpaw, his body blocking all sunlight from their eyesight.

Barkpaw's muscles cracked threateningly as he moved his neck back and forth.

"Tidekit said he wanted to battle you." Quietpaw lied.

Tidekit turned his head at Quietpaw and gave him a fierce look through deep blue orbs that said, "You're going to pay for that."

Although, he was interested to see if he would be able to defeat Barkpaw.

"Alright then," Barkpaw growled, his huge body leering over Tidekit's as a fierce ambitious look spread across his yellow gaze.

"How 'bout it, then? You think you're something special? I'd like to see you beat me, _half-Clan._" Barkpaw hissed.

Tidekit backed up a little further, but then puffed out his chest with bravery and tried to stand as tall as he could. Just because he was Half-Clan didn't mean his Clanmates could pick on him, and he would prove it.

"I'm not afraid of you!"

Barkpaw raised his head to the sky and released a loud cackle, then turning back to Tidekit. "Prove it."

Tidekit growled, leaping at Barkpaw with a screech, only to realize that he had rammed his head into the large tom's chest and fell over again, clearly not having enough strength to tackle the older apprentice.

Barkpaw laughed again, this time even more loud and obnoxious. Swankit, Echokit, Leafkit, and Quietpaw did nothing. Although Quietpaw looked as if he had made a mistake inviting Barkpaw to battle training.

He was surprised. Tidekit took pride in his strength, but the amount of might needed to beat Barkpaw would pale behind the dexterity needed to out-wit him. This would be harder than he imagined.

Barkpaw made the first move. He leaped at Tidekit, but considering his smaller size, he easily ducked under Barkpaw and watched him tumble on the ground behind him.

He seized his chance and pounced on Barkpaw's stomach, pressing his paws up against his to shoulders and pinned them to the ground.

Barkpaw's eyes lit up with fury. He'd been beaten by a kit.

"Get off of me!" He yowled, clearly unable to control his anger.

After letting him stand up, Barkpaw stormed off to the apprentices' den.

"Woah!" Echokit exclaimed. "That was cool!"

Tidekit smiled and purred, and saw Leafkit approaching him. His heart thudded harder.

"Nice job, I still can't believe you beat him." She meowed.

"Thanks."

After all, he should feel proud of himself.

|^..^|^..^|^..^|

Later that week, Tidekit saw Swankit hanging out by Barkpaw. He growled inwardly, as Swankit had become too close to Barkpaw for his liking.

He padded to the fresh kill pile, looking eagerly to find a nice trout or minnow. Oakwind was with Rosedust again.

"Tidekit, go fetch your sister, there's something I've been meaning to tell you!" Oakwind called from in between bites of his prey.

Tidekit nodded, and dashed off to get Swankit.

"Swankit!" He called, stopping her from laughing along with Barkpaw.

"What do _you _want?" Barkpaw growled angrily._  
_

"Who put dirt in your fresh-kill?" Tidekit meowed defensively.

"You did." Barkpaw said cooly, standing up.

"Just shut up. Swankit and I have family matters to attend." Tidekit hissed. "Come on, Swankit."

The white she-kit shrugged and stood up, turning her back on Barkpaw and began to walk away with Tidekit before another taunt from Barkpaw stopped Tidekit in his tracks.

"Why don't you face me, _Half-Clan__?" _Barkpaw growled.

Tidekit turned around swiftly, his deep blue gaze turning into fire with anger. So what, he was a Half-Clan cat?

"Go ahead, Swankit, I'll deal with _him._" Tidekit growled, not daring to move his eyes off of Barkpaw. "So what, my mother's from ThunderClan and my father's from RiverClan, big whoop."

"Just shut up, you know what you are on the inside; just another burden." Barkpaw growled, his hackles rising,

"What do you want? I beat you at battle-training and then you get all hissy at me?" He growled.

"Why so defensive?" Barkpaw growled. "Oh, wait, I know why,"

Barkpaw leaned in close to Tidekit and whispered, "Maybe because your sister likes me more than she'll ever like you."

"Shut up." Tidekit hissed hotly, scrunching his head back and away from Barkpaw's face.

"She doesn't like you. You were just sitting together." Tidekit explained.

"Whatever makes you feel better, but you know the truth. She'll always pick me over you."

Tidekit glared at Barkpaw, backing away and padding back to his father. He was slightly disturbed, because what Barkpaw said was partially true. If anything, Tidekit hoped that Quietpaw would make a suitable mate for Tidwkit, or anyone but Barkpaw.

|^..^|^..^|^..^|

"What is it you wanted to tell us?" Tidekit asked.

Oakwind glanced at Rosedust, then back at his kits.

"Well, Rosedust and I are having kits!" He purred.

Tidekit was silent. He was frozen in time, not daring to move or speak. How could his father do such a thing? Why so soon after his mother had left? He betrayed Mistflower, and his own kits.

Swankit was silent, too, as the same had happened to her.

"Tidekit?" Oakwind asked. "Are you alright?"

He wanted to yowl at his father, but he bit his tongue from cursing out loud, and stormed out of camp. Reed branches whacked his face as he ran towards the river, and rain had begun to poor down on him and drench his pelt.

He heard his father calling for him, and then his footsteps thudding hard on the ground as he trailed behind him, but he kept going. He reached the river and stopped.

No matter how foolish Tidekit was, he wouldn't care go in, instead he waited for his father to catch up to him.

"Tidekit, what's wrong?" The gentle and sturdy voice of his father came into mind. His amber eyes were placed in front of him.

"You betrayed her!" He yowled. "You betrayed Mistflower!"

"Tidekit, I-"

"Do you think she would be happy to know that you found another mate?" Tidekit hissed.

"I'm doing the best I can, and she would know that." Oakwind said.

"No. No, you're not. You betrayed your family. So go start a new on with your new kits and your new mate. I won't care."

"I'm not abandoning you, you're still my son."

"Not anymore. I don't need you. You are not the cat I once called my father. You are nothing to me."

With that, he angrily stormed away. Leaving a very sad Oakwind standing in the rain, alone.

**Aw, poor Oakwind! Or poor Tidekit! Either one you feel bad for. So, what do you guys think about the story so far? **

**Ready for some more questions?**

**1) who do you think Swankit will fall in love with?**

**2) who do you think Tidekit will fall in love with?**

**3) what do you think Rosedust's and Oakwind's kits will be like?**

**Speaking of their kits, I'm accepting OCs for them, so if you're into that kind of thing, just submit some OCs! I only want ONE OC thought, because it's only fair if everyone gets the same chance. Also, please DONT only give me girl OCs. All of you girls out there, I understand, but there needs to be some boys in the litter. Can't wait to see all of your OCs because I know you guys submit so much, but again, I only want ONE OC per person. Yeah, I know I suck, but that's just the rules.**

**Whats going to happen next? Only way to find out, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**

**See you next time!**

**-Willowsong**


	6. Chapter 5

**Frozenstream of Oakclan: haha thanks for the review!**

**IslaTheFairyOfIce: I will consider your OC**

**Fastblaze789: thanks for reviewing!**

**General Blizzardstorm: I will consider your OC**

**LovleyLittleKitten: thanks!**

**Winxclubfan1: thanks!**

**CrystalLavenderOfRoses: well, excuse me**

**Glassman: thanks for the OC!**

**A Quiet Explosion: thanks for the OC!**

_"From this moment on until you receive your_ warrior name, you shall be known as Leafpaw." Rushstar's voice echoed through RiverClan camp.

Tidekit had peaked his head out if the nursery just to see his friend become an apprentice. He was happy for her, but upset that he wouldn't be with her in the apprentices' den.

"Oakwind, you have inherited your courage and intelligence from Trouttail, may your pass down all of your knowledge to Leafpaw."

Tidekit flattened his ears as he heard Oakwind's name.

"Leafpaw! Leafpaw! Leafpaw!" The Clan cheered, Tidekit the loudest of all.

"Congradulations!" Tidekit meowed, not daring to move out of he nursery, as Leafpaw was caught up with Quietpaw as the black tom showed her the apprentices' den.

Tidekit sighed, and went back in the nursery. Appledusk was carefully grooming Swankit. Tidekit purred. He liked Appledusk like she was his mother, after all, none of this was her fault.

"Good morning, Appledusk." He purred.

"Good morning, Tidekit." The dark cream she-cat greeted him.

Tidekit and Swankit wouldn't be apprentices for another two moons, so they had some time to wait.

"When will two moons be up?" Tidekit said, exasperated, lying on the edge of the nest with his belly facing the roof of the den.

"Two moons will be up when they come, dear." Appledusk replied, not moving her eyes off her her pelt.

Tidekit sighed, crawling back into his nest with Appledusk, and falling into a deep sleep.

* * *

The river flowed peacefully in the warm Green-leaf moon, casting silvery reflections upon the silky water.

"The river's so peaceful." Tidekit murmured, dipping his paws into the cold moonlight.

"Yes, I suppose it is." Leafpaw murmured back, although she was not in the water, but standing outside by the shore.

Tidekit sighed. He didn't know why he followed Leafpaw out here, but he was glad he did.

"Why were you out here in the first place?" Tidekit asked, not having to look up at Leafpaw; as they were almost the same size now.

"I like to watch the starlight shine upon he river." Leafpaw meowed.

"I always thought it was a cold sort of light." Tidekit added.

"It looks cold, yes, but it's full of beauty."

Leafpaw's dark amber eyes were gleaming, her pupils growing as her eyes gazed upon the stars.

As Tidekit gazed upon the moonlight, he saw shadows flickering passed the light and into the forest- by the Sunningrocks.

"_Psst!_" Tidekit hissed, prodding Leafpaw with his paw. "There's something over there!"

Leafpaw whipped her head around swiftly as her pupils dilated, trying to see across the night.

"Run." She whispered.

"What?"

"Just run!" Leafpaw growled, and Tidekit noticed several cats marking their territory by the Sunningrocks. ThunderClan.

Tidekit was able to keep up with Leafpaw, his strides matching hers step for step. He bursted through the reeds and heard Leafpaw yowl,

"ThunderClan at the Sunningrocks!"

In a heartbeat, everyone was awake and anxiously waiting for orders from Rushstar, Leafpaw's father.

"I want Oakwind, Cherrynose, Minnowleap-" Rushstar was cut off, as ThunderClan warriors surged into camp.

Warriors frantically rushed to the nursery and elders' den without waiting for command of their leader.

"Get back the nursery!" A deep voice yowled, and Tidekit could feel himself being picked up by a pair of jaws. He swatted his paws out, looking at Leafpaw, who had been pinned to the ground by a ThunderClan tom.

Tidekit looked up and saw a familiar brown tabby pelt. It was Oakwind. _Wow. I didn't know he cared about me!_

Oakwind placed him in the nursery, and then rushed off into battle.

To Tidekit's relief, he saw that Swankit was safe in the nursery with Appledusk. He almost dove into his nest, as Silverdove protected Echokit, her foster daughter. Echokit wasn't as old as Leafpaw, so she had to stay in the nursery. She was only two moons younger than Tidekit himself, but wouldn't be apprenticed.

Tidekit cuddled up next to Swankit, curling his tail protectively around her. Then, trying to sleep, he closed his eyes and pretended to ignore the screeches and caterwauls of the battle.

|^..^|^..^|^..^|

Almost a moon had passed since the battle with ThunderClan. From what he was told, the ThunderClan warriors had retreated.

That wasn't all that happened in the past moon, either, as Appledusk's kits were born.

Tidekit couldn't help but release a growl from his throat as he remembered _them. _Mudkit, Indigokit, and Birchkit.

They were so _annoying. _

"Tidekit, look at the new battle move Oakwind showed me!"

"Tidekit, I'm so big, I can climb the beech tree by the warrior's den!"

"Tidekit, I bet I can beat you in a race!"

_Tidekit, this, Tidekit, that. Oh, just shut up._

He wasn't sure if the kits were purposely being annoying, or if they weren't trying. Although they were loud, obnoxious, annoying, and slightly stupid, the worst thing about them was Oakwind.

Every time Oakwind was around his new kits, it seemed as if he completely ignored Tidekit and Swankit.

"How are my kits today?" He asked in such a sweet voice, making Tidekit and Swankit realize which kits Oakwind was talking about.

"Daddy!" All three kits would run up to Oakwind, pouncing on him playfully.

Tidekit wanted to vomit. Oakwind and the kits erupted into tiny purrs, and then there father meowed,

"Alright, kits, I have to go, I just wanted to say hello to my kits."

"Aww." Mudkit complained. "Why do you have to go?"

"Yeah," Indigokit chimed in. "Why can't you stay here with us?"

"Because unfortunately, I have to go to training with my apprentice." Oakwind answered.

Tidekit couldn't take this much longer. Feeling a burning hatred for his father, Tidekit stretched his legs and stormed out of the nursery.

The kits- he couldn't stand.

Maybe he'd always call them kits. Maybe when they would be warriors, he would still call them kits.

Indigokit was the first born, a cream colored she-kit with beautiful indigo colored eyes. She was a fierce, ambitious, and playful character. Tidekit wasn't all that annoyed by her, it was just the fact that she was so bossy, and received more attention from everyone in the Clan.

Birchkit was second born, a light brown tabby with green eyes. Not as ambitious and bold as her sister, Birchkit made up with for with her size. She was quiet, shy, but had her annoying moments with Tidekit.

Then there was Mudkit, last born, a long-legged, ragged-furred, brown tom with green eyes and darker splashes of fur. He was cocky, arrogant, stupid, and very, _very _competitive. Tidekit had gotten the idea that Oakwind was convincing his second son to compete with Tidekit. This idea, of course, made him resentful of Mudkit, and what he would soon grow into.

All in all, Tidekit resented everything about the kits. If he was asked, he said that he had one sibling, Swankit, rather than Mudkit, Birchkit, and Indigokit.

Tidekit couldn't help but release an exasperated sigh, evidentally, he had no parents in this world. He looked out for Swankit, but the question was, who was there to look out for him?

**Poor Tidekit. So, what do you guys think of this story so far? What do you guys think of the kits? I'm sure we can all relate to Tidekit in someway, and don't lie, you were all like Mudkit, Indigokit, and Birchkit when we were little. And you all acted like them towards your older siblings or cousins.**

**What's up with Oakwind? You all thought that he was a "dead-beat dad with a bunch of excuses," (Supernatural reference) but does he really love his kits? Or is it just Mudkit, Indigokit, and Birchkit? We'll find out…**

**QOTD: If you were Tidekit, how would you react to Oakwind and his kits?**

**One more question for you guys: Do you guys think I should rewrite Stormstar's Legacy? If you say yes, I won't get offended. In fact, I want to rewrite it and twist the plot a bit, and I just wanted your opinions.**

**So, review your opinion! **


	7. Chapter 6

**Hey guys!**

**The Ghost129: haha! Yes!**

**Frozenstream of Oakclan: I'm sure we can all relate to Mudkit**

**Hi: um…hi too, I guess**

**Lilystripe608: well, I already chose OCs**

**Amberstorm223: no, he isn't**

_"Hey, Tidekit!" _

Tidekit growled inwardly as he heard Mudkit's annoyingly squeaky voice.

"What is it this time, Mudkit?" He sighed, rolling his eyes and muttering a curse under his breath.

"Indigokit and Birchkit bet that I could be swim better than you could." Mudkit pipped.

"And I care about this, why?" Tidekit asked, not really wanting an answer.

"Because it's _you_ who I'm racing against!" Mudkit snapped, saying it in a matter as if he thought Tidekit didn't know what he was talking about.

He wanted so badly to challenge Mudkit- but not that day. That day was the day that Tidekit had been waiting for his whole life. It was his rentice ceremony.

|^..^|^..^|^..^|

"From this moment on, you shall be known as Tidepaw. Cherrynose, you have inherited your intelligence and bravery from Cardinalflight, May you pass down all that you know to Tidepaw."

Rushstar dipped his head to Tidepaw, and in return he kicked his leader's shoulder.

"Swankit," Rushstar moved his gaze from Tidepaw to his sister. "From this moment on und until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Swanpaw. Your mentor will be Waterflame."

"Tidepaw! Swanpaw! Tidepaw! Swanpaw!" The Clan cheered.

"Come on." He heard Waterflame meow to Swanpaw.

He stopped when he realized that the deputy was his mentor. Maybe he would become the best warrior there ever was.

"Where are we going first?" Tidepaw asked Cherrynose eagerly.

"First we'll go down to the river with Barkpaw and your sister." Cherrynose meowed. "Come on."

Tidepaw followed patiently, but as he walked out of camp with his mentor, he saw Oakwind waving his tail at him and purring.

"Have fun!" He called.

He didn't know why, but this annoyed Tidekit. It was almost as if he was so used to his father being terrible to him, that when he was kind, it was something new.

_Whatever. It's none of my business about him, he's not my father._

|^..^|^..^|^..^|

"Now, look out into the water." Barkpaw instructed. "Make sure your shadow doesn't fall over the water,"

Tidepaw's eyes widened as he gazed into the cool river, seeing small minnows swim around in the small pool. Barkpaw had been in charge for that moment, as their mentors wanted them Barkpaw to teach them how to swim. Although Tidepaw never liked Barkpaw, he wanted to listen to the older tom's instructions. _Whatever it takes._

"Watch carefully. One my count, jump in." Barkpaw mewed. "One, two, three…now!"

Tidekit splashed into the small pool and extended his claws, trying to claw any minnow that came his way. He desperately flailed his claws and kicked out his hind legs.

Suddenly, he felt like he was being pushed. He tumbled out of the pool and into the rough tides of the river.

"Help!" He yowled, but it was only drowned out by the surging waves. No help came.

His head popped out of the water for a brief moment and saw a branch wedged between the gorge and a a pile of rocks. The tides swallowed him again, but he found his footing on the bottom of the river and push up, realizing he was at the edge of the gorge, about to fall in, when his jaws clamped together, grasping the twisted elm branch.

Then, he was frozen in time. Well, not really, but it felt like it. The water kept pushing rough waves over the edge of the gorge, the branch that Tidepaw was swinging from with his mouth, desperately clinging for life, was still bouncing slightly because of his weight, but he, himself, was frozen.

He didn't know what to do. He felt as if his jaws were about to brake, but yet, he held on.

He breathed in and out heavily. If he opened his mouth, he would fall, if he didn't, the branch would brake.

Tidepaw reached his paws up and clawed the slippery bark of the twisted elm branch. He curled his hind legs around, and just hung with his claws, finally releasing his grip on the bark from his mouth and rooting his claws into the branch.

"Help!" He yowled, more clearly this time. By the time he heard a loud snap, Cherrynose, Barkpaw, Swanpaw, and Waterflame came into his sight.

But it was too late. The branch snapped, and Tidepaw fell. Down, down, down…into the gorge and the storming tides. His world shrank to a small light, and then winked out.

|^..^|^..^|^..^|

The sound of chewing herbs had woke Tidepaw. At first he was surprised that he heard Fernstripe chewing the herbs, but he realized that the pale she-cat was very up close to his face.

"You're awake." Fernstripe purred, more of a statement than a question.

"I- what happened?" Tidepaw asked, turning his head only to see the reed-roof of the medicine den. Sunlight filtered in through the entrance of the den, the sound of the peaceful yet powerful river could be heard as well as swallows singing their song. _  
_

"You fell into the gorge. If it hadn't been for Barkpaw-"

"Wait, Barkpaw recused me?" Tidepaw interrupted. Then he went back into his memories. He remembered pouncing into the pool, then feeling something pushing him into high tided river. Barkpaw.

_I get it. He pushed me in and then rescued me to make _himself _look like a hero so the Clan will like him now. _Tidepaw stopped in his thoughts. _Maybe not for the Clan's respect, but just for one cat._

"Yes, he did. It was very brave of him." Fernstripe answered, pressing herbs against Tidepaw's mangled scar on his flank. It wasn't until then that Tidepaw had noticed the large scar across his shoulder. _Hey, you can't be a true warrior without a bunch of scars. _He reminded himself.

"Tidepaw! You're awake!" Swanpaw's squeal could be heard from all the way across camp, although she was at the entrance of the medicine den.

"I've been so worried!" She rushed up to Tidepaw's nest, and gasped when she looked at the large scar on his chest.

"Tidepaw," she whispered in horror. "What have you done?"

Tidepaw started purring as he saw the shocked look on his sister's face, but then it turned into laughter. Fernstripe rolled her eyes, exiting the den.

"Don't laugh!" Swanpaw hissed, shoving her tiny white paw at Tidepaw.

"You can't be a true warrior without a bunch of scars." He repeated, but then he almost took it back; his voice sounded exactly like something Oakwind would say.


	8. Chapter 7

**LavenderCrystalOfRoses: yeah, me neither**

_Tidepaw was very bored. _Border than bored, for that matter. It had been two sunrises since Tidepaw had been confined to the medicine den, while Swanpaw had visited him and told him about the wonders of training, it only made it worse.

"Morning, Tidepaw." Swanpaw greeted him. Tidepaw rolled over and saw Mudkit, Indigokit, and Birchkit behind her. All three of them were struggling to carry a large trout in their mouths.

"Look what the kits brought you!" Swanpaw purred excitedly.

Tidepaw wanted to growl and roll his eyes, but the look of Swanpaw's happiness made him stop. She looked so cheerful with the kits. Even if she did hate them, she would never show it. She would make a great mother someday.

"Trout." Tidepaw stated. "Thanks."

The kits almost stumbled on their own paws and hauled the trout over to Tidepaw. Then, all five cats began to eat from the fish. Tidepaw hated to say that it tasted good- but it did. If he were alone, would he have enjoyed that trout?

He'd never know. He hardly was alone. Everyone came in to say "get better soon" that was Swanpaw and Leafpaw. Or "You missed what we did in training yesterday!" That was Quietpaw. Or "You missed the fish that I caught. It was _huge._" That was Barkpaw, blabbing away about how great he was and how great the fish was. Sometimes Tidepaw didn't even know why he visited him, considering it was Barkpaw who did this to him. But he only came when Swanpaw was in the den, and that was enough evidence for Tidepaw.

Sometimes it was just the kits, sometimes it was just Swanpaw, and at one time when he was sleeping, Tidepaw could hear his father come in, but he dared not speak a word.

"When am I getting out of here?" Tidepaw complained with a yawn.

"One more sunrise, just until the soreness stops." Fernstripe replied.

"But you said that yesterday!" Tidepaw groaned, stepping out of his nest. "And beside, I don't have any 'soreness.'"

"Yes, you do, don't lie." Fernstripe hissed.

Tidepaw groaned and flopped back into his nest, staring up at the ceiling of the den, and feeling as if he were a prisoner.

|^..^|^..^|^..^|

"Wow! The little rat decided to come out of his den for the first time!" Barkpaw sneered.

Tidepaw had finally come out for training on the sunny day. Barkpaw, Leafpaw, and Quietpaw were all waiting with Cherrynose, Creekfish, and Pikefang.

"Shut up." Tidepaw growled back. "It wasn't _my _fault that _you _pushed me in!"

Their mentors were far behind, as the rest of the apprentices had run ahead.

"Shut up! It was _your _fault that you couldn't swim, you pigeon." Barkpaw hissed.

Tidepaw through a cold glare at Barkpaw through dark blue eyes, but ignored him as their mentors were close behind.

"Okay." Cherrynose began. "We're going to be swimming and fishing again. Tidepaw, would you like to go first?"

How could he say no?

"Sure." Tidepaw meowed, bunching his haunches, tensing his muscles, and leaping Into the water.

This time, it seemed as of his paws knew exactly how to move through the water. Dunking his head under the water, he opened his eyes and felt a salty sting, but the tides weren't that high today, so he was able the swim gently.

"Hows the water?" He heard Leafpaw call.

"Fine." He replied, popping his head out of the water.

"Enough play-time, go catch some fish." Cherrynose ordered, nodding to Barkpaw, Quietpaw, and Leafpaw.

The other three apprentices dived into the river with Tidepaw. He didn't know what he was doing, but he had an idea.

It was only a matter of time before Tidepaw came out of the water with a small minnow in his mouth.

He swam to the shore and placed it on the ground.

"Nice catch." Cherrynose complemented.

"Thank you."

Leafpaw, Quietpaw, and Barkpaw soon came out of the water with bigger catches than him.

"Nice one, for your first catch." Leafpaw purred.

"Yeah, I don't think my catch was nearly as big." Quietpaw mused, his yellow-amber eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Yeah, well, my first catch was bigger." Barkpaw boasted, puffing out his chest with pride.

Quietpaw, Leafpaw, and Tidepaw all shot Barkpaw harsh glares.

"Why can't you just be happy for him?" Leafpaw hissed.

Barkpaw's eyes revealed nothing, his shoulders, broad and still, his face not showing any emotion. Weird.

Why was Barkpaw always like this? Tidepaw would never know.

|^..^|^..^|^..^|

"Care to join?" Tidepaw offered his sister the small minnow he had caught. Swanpaw leaned her head forward and sniffed the minnow.

"Well, I'd like to, but Barkpaw offered me a trout." Swanpaw replied,and then as Barkpaw came up to her, she mouthed a small "sorry" and was off.

As Tidepaw padded across camp, he sat by Leafpaw and heard Rushstar announcing who would be going to the Gathering.

"Oakwind, Waterflame, Creekfish, Pikefang, Minnowleap, Ripplepool, Waterflame, Barkpaw, Quietpaw, Tidepaw, Swanpaw, and Leafpaw."

_I can't believe it! I get to go to the Gathering!_


	9. Chapter 8

_Tidepaw bounced eagerly up and _down waiting for Cherrynose to tell him when they could leave. Swanpaw sat beside him, calm and quiet as she waited.

The siblings were waiting outside of the apprentices' den for the Clan to get going, as they could not sleep that night.

"Alright, guys, let's go." Cherrynose's voice interrupted Swanpaw and Tidepaw's silent thinking.

"Yay!" Tidepaw cheered and happily trotted behind his mentor as Swanpaw followed hers.

Tidepaw purred, still following Cherrynose as they crossed the stepping-stones bounded across the moor. He skidded to a hault behind his mentor as she jumped and leaped over a log. Tidepaw bunched his haunches and jumped up, too, following the dark ginger she-cat into the clearing where four massive oaks stood.

"Those are big." Tidepaw stated, not filled with awe or amazement.

"Yep." Swanpaw came up behind him.

"Look, there are some other apprentices over there, why don't you go sit by them?" Cherrynose suggested, pointing her tail at a group of WindClan apprentices. "I have to go sit by the Great Rock with Rushstar."

Cherrynose flicked her tail and sped off to the Great Rock, leaving Swanpaw and Tidepaw with the four WindClan apprentices, two toms and two she-cats.

"Hello!" The dark gray tom cheered.

"Hi." That was the brown tabby she-cat.

"Hi." That was the gray she-cat.

The other apprentice was a cream colored tom with pale eyes, saying nothing, but looked as if he were dreaming. That was weird.

"Hello." Tidepaw greeted the four cats, the looked back at Swanpaw. "I'm Tidepaw. This is my sister, Swanpaw."

"I'm Sootpaw." The gray tom meowed. "These are my siblings, Mousepaw, Amberpaw, and Bravepaw."

Bravepaw- the cream colored tom who still looked shell-shocked- said nothing. He looked as if there were a hundred questions and statements that he wanted to say, but said nothing.

"Bravepaw!" Sootpaw snapped at his brother and waved his paws in front of his eyes. "What's the matter with you?"

Bravepaw didn't answer, but kept staring at Swanpaw.

"Hey! You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, actually, I'm perfect." Bravepaw said ominously.

_Alright, you're super creepy._

Tidepaw shook his head but payed attention to Cinderstar, the leader of SkyClan, yowling to start the Gathering.

"SkyClan is well, we have two new apprentices, Honeypaw and Boulderpaw." Cinderstar began.

"Honeypaw! Boulderpaw!" the Clans cheered.

"Also Morningbird, one of our queens, have passed away." Cinderstar didn't say the cause of her death, but stepped down and let Sootstar step up.

"We have two new apprentices as well, Wolfpaw and Smallpaw."

"Wolfpaw! Smallpaw!" The Clans cheered, although Wolfpaw's name was cheered a lot louder than Smallpaw's.

Tidepaw stretched his neck and saw four other apprentices. One was Honeypaw, a white she-cat with gray and black spots, the next Tidepaw assumed was Boulderpaw, a large dark gray tom, and the tiny black tom was probably Smallpaw, and the handsome gray tom next to him was most likely Wolfpaw.

Boulderpaw's face lit up with anger as he growled at Smallpaw. Wolfpaw leaped onto Boulderpaw, smashing him to the ground and saying something that Tidepaw couldn't hear. He turned his head in the other direction. Whatever was going on was none of his business, although he was interested.

When he went back to Sootpaw, Mousepaw, and Amberpaw, he realized that Swanpaw and Bravepaw were gone.

Every muscles in his body stiffened as his fur stood on end. _What did that freak do with my sister… _He growled inwardly, and strode right up to Sootpaw.

"Where's they go?" He hissed.

"Oh, you mean Bravepaw and Swanpaw?" Sootpaw asked. "Yeah, I think they're over there at the back of the Fourtrees."

Tidepaw wanted to ask Sootpaw what was wrong with his brother, but he padded off to the back of the Fourtrees anyway. There, he spotted Swanpaw, laughing loudly and chatting with Bravepaw. The cream tom didn't say much, but when he saw Swanpaw's tone, he purred with delight.

"I'm so glad I met you." Bravepaw purred. "I don't know why, but for some reason, I feel like you opened my eyes."

Swanpaw laughed again, this time, though as of it were a joke.

_Yeah,you keep crackin' jokes, pal. It won't be all fun and games when I get my paws on you._

Tidepaw was hiding behind some of the warriors throughout the whole Gathering, listening instead of to what was going on, but to Bravepaw's and Swanpaw's conversation.

He missed everything that happened. Even when Rushstar called their names, he couldn't hear. He was still listening to them.

"The Gathering is over." Rushstar finally announced, leaping off of the Great Rock and acknowledging his Clan to follow him.

"It was very nice meeting you," Tidepaw heard Bravepaw purr to his sister. He growled softly and stopped, waiting to hear the end of their conversation and also waiting for Swanpaw.

"Hey, it was nice seeing you, and I can't help but feel like I need to see you again. Maybe we can meet sometime later on?" Bravepaw asked.

_Oh, now, you've crossed the border, literally!_

"Well, to tell the truth, so would I, but I can't, My brother would be furious if I stayed late at a Gathering." Swanpaw meowed rolling her eyes.

Tidepaw sat at the entrance of the Gathering, waiting in the bracken as dozens of cats from all Clans made their way out.

"I know, right!" Bravepaw exclaimed. "My brother's _so _overprotective! I get where he's going, but I don't need his protection."

"Yeah, that's the same thing with Tidepaw." Swanpaw pointed out, shifting her snow-white paws uncomfortably. _What? I do not, I'm just looking out for you, that's all! _Tidepaw could feel his heart break.

The two of them sighed in unison.

"Well, speaking of Tidepaw, I've got to go see what kind of trouble the big lug has gotten into now. I'll see you around maybe!" Swanpaw waved his tail at Bravepaw and was off.

Tidepaw narrowed his eyes into dark blue slits. _I see where this is going. Just because you're an apprentice now doesn't mean I'll stop looking out for you. Not now… not ever._

**DONE! DONE! DONE! Phew! Finally! It seemed like I took _forever _to update! But don't worry, I eventually will. It's not like I'm one of those people who do like one update per month. At the least, it's usually one update a week, for me! So what did you guys think of this chapter? How will this chapter change the fact of Swanpaw's love? Of Tidepaw's?**

**QOTD: what did you think was wrong with Bravepaw?**

**Also, I made a new story called Ashfur's Return, so take a look at it!**

**So, my homies, that's all I got for now. See ay later!**

**-Willowsong**


	10. Chapter 9

**A Quiet Explosion: possibly**

**Wish Upon A Warrior Cat: thanks!**

**Guest: I will rewrite it, but I'm just too busy with all of my other stories :(**

**winxclubfan1: maybe**

**TheGhost129: yeah, it is cute**

**pianodevotion: I PM you about your review, and you STILL didn't answer but yet you had time to review on this?**

**Pineshadow: yeah, he is kinda lovable, not matter how much Tidepaw hates him**

_Tidepaw couldn't seem to get _comfortably that night. No matter what position he lay in, there was always a sharp reed or a hard twisted willow root. At one point he was completely upside-down. Deciding that trying to sleep was useless, he tumbled out of his nest and padded out of camp, light on his toes so he couldn't wake any warriors.

It wasn't until then that he realized that someone else was following him under the reeds. He bunched his muscles, perking his ears and listening for any sign of something ready for attack.

Before he could think, he heard several loud squeals and in an instant, he lay on the ground with three small figures attacking his belly.

"Ha! We caught the ThunderClan warrior!" A voice squeaked.

_Uggh. It's just you guys. _Tidepaw wanted to hiss, but kept his mouth shut. _Mudkit, Birchkit, and Indigokit. What more do you want from me besides stealing my life?_

He had to take his thoughts a step back. It wasn't until the kits were born that Tidepaw could tell just how much he hated his father, but _they _were more annoying then Oakwind was.

"What do you want?" Tidepaw sneered, easily shoving off his three step-siblings.

"Well…" Birchpaw looked at her paws uncomfortably, and Indigokit just said nothing, but Mudkit puffed his chest out with pride as if it was an honor to break the warrior code and ambush his step-brother all in one night.

"Well, what?" Tidepaw hissed. "What more do you want from me?"

The kits stood there, looking embarrased and dumbfounded all the same.

"What are you talking about?" Mudkit asked, cocking his head to the right.

There was a long silence between them, and Tidepaw wondered if now was the right time to tell them what he thought. Only the crickets and the frogs could be heard in the warm Green-leaf night, and the moon was the only source of light.

"You took my life away from me." Tidepaw snarled. "You have taken _everything _from me! So what more do you want?"

_Did I really just say that?_

All three kits looked as if they were about to brake down and start crying, their eyes full if heartbreak and sadness. Birchpaw's lower lip quivered, and Indigokit's mouth had dropped open in a gape, and Mudkit stood there, distraught but infuriated.

Mudkit opened his mouth and tried to speak, but a rustle in the reed thicket stopped them. A heartbeat later, Swanpaw emerged, her white pelt shimmering in the cold moonlight, and her amber eyes were blazing with anger, obviously she had heard the conversation.

"Tidepaw!" She hissed in terror. "Look what you've done to them!"

By now the kits had started to cry, wailing with their mouths to the sky and their eyes puffy-eyed with tears, their shoulders shaking with ragged sobs.

_Great. Now I look like the bad one._

"I-" Tidepaw had tried to protest, maybe for Swanpaw's sake, but the white she-cat ignored him, cuddling the kits closer to her with her tail as they buried their tiny noses into her fur.

"Look at them, Tidepaw." Swanpaw growled. Tidepaw did the opposite, and looked away.

"Look at them!" She growled louder.

Tidepaw blinked and finally mustered up the courage to look at the mess he had caused. The kits were a reck. Clearly they respected Tidepaw a lot more than Tidepaw respected them.

He looked down in shame. He couldn't argue against his sister. It was _him_ who screwed up this time, not Swanpaw, not the kits, not Oakwind.

"Until you can treat your family with respect, don't talk to me or the kits anymore." Swanpaw looked down at the babies.

"Go on." She hissed. "All you've ever wanted was to be alone! You got what you wanted, you're alone now. I hope you're happy."

Swanpaw nuzzled the kits with her nose, and licked each of them roughly on the head before leading them back to camp.

Tidepaw just stood there like a deaf kit, frozen and shell-shocked as if his own mother had thrown him out of his nest and away from her warmth. The words replayed over and over in his mind, and he knew he was wrong.

_"All you've ever wanted was to be alone! You got what you wanted, you're alone now. I hope you're happy."_

**Aww! Poor kits! Tidepaw was being a jerk, right? I even think he's a jerk, and I'm the author! Also, I have a message for someone who reviewed my story that is finished so I cannot reply:**

**U Cerial: of course you're forgiven! Don't think I'd be all rude about it!**

**Sorry about that, so here's the QOTD.**

**QOTD: if you were Mudkit, Indigokit, or Birchkit, how would you feel toward Tidepaw?**

**Thats all I got for now, guys. See ya later!**

**-Willowsong**


	11. Chapter 10

**TheGhost129: yeah, he's a jerk**

**lwuvwarriors2238: You know what? I would like to see you write better stories. If you dare to insult me, at least sign in and don't be a loser. Seriously?! You're just being a loser who has no life and nothing better to do than hide behind the computer screen and hurling insults when you know that the writer can't respond because you didn't sign in. I understand if you may not have an account, but If you don't, then don't hate. Until then, I seriously doubt that you have written any stories if you don't have an account. In fact, YOU should do something interesting and stop being a hater and get a life.**

**As you guys can see, that last review kinda pushed me over the edge so I rewrote it. **

_Come on, Swanpaw! Can't you see how hard I_ _try? _Tidepaw felt lost. Lost, like his own mother had gripped him tight around his scruff and thrown him out of the warmth of her den. He felt like crying, like the raggedy sobs that shook the kits' tiny shoulders and made their eyes puff up with tears.

Tidepaw just sat there, trying desperately to hide his tears._ Can't you see what I do? I try so hard for you, Swanpaw. Can't you see that?_

Even the crickets had silenced their loud humming, as if to mourn the loss that Tidepaw shared. _Can't you see that I'd do anything for you? Can't you see I love you?_

|^..^|^..^|^..^|

Lots of cats wanted to talk to him the next day, although none of them he wanted to talk to. Leafpaw and Quietpaw were friends, that was true, but the only cat he wanted to talk to was Swanpaw, and she had rejected him.

"Hi, Tidepaw." Cherrynose's voice filled the air around Tidepaw. "Ready for training?"

_No. _

"Yeah, I guess." He meowed, stretching out his paws and yawning in the warm sunlight.

He wasn't as excited as he would have normally been, considering the circumstances. Although Leafpaw and Quietpaw were ready to go, happy-go-luck as if nothing had ever happened.

_Maybe Swanpaw was right. Maybe I'm always craving to be alone. Why can't I just be happy for what I have, like she is?_

He tried to shake the thought out of his head, but it always came creeping back to him like a snake that slithered in the water. Then, another thought came to him.

_Maybe because it's only _you _who isn't happy, and just because you're upset, you have to drag everyone else through the mud._

"Alright then," Cherrynose meowed cheerfully.

Tidepaw padded out of camp with his mentor, with Leafpaw, Quietpaw, and their mentors beside him. The river had the perfect tide, as it never once pulled Tidepaw under. But still, there was something missing from the perfect picture.

Tidekit caught three small trout that day, and took pride in his catch. Leafpaw and Quietpaw seemed happy with their catches, too.

He padded back to camp and placed his prey in the fresh-kill pile and went back to the apprentices' den for the night. He couldn't sleep again, with Swanpaw on the far opposote of the den. Then he realized that Swanpaw was gone.

He stood up instantly, his fur standing on end. He followed the scent which lead from her nest, to the camp entrance, down river toward WindClan territory, and crossing the half-bridge, and ended up right by the WindClan border.

He felt like it took days to get to where she was, but when he did, he was shocked. There, by the border of WindClan and RiverClan territory, with a strange tom that looked like familiar. Tidepaw his in the reeds, and squinted to see the tom. Then, with shock, he knew who it was; Bravepaw.

**DUN DUN DUN! Dang that Bravepaw! What do you think will happen?**

**QOTD: Who do you think Swanpaw will fall in love with?**

**Thats all for today, guys, hope you liked it!**

**-Willowsong**


	12. Chapter 11

**Guest: yeah, he was kinda a jerk and he shouldn't take it out on the kits**

**pianodevotion: okie-dokie, but what the heck were you talking about when you reviewed on Ashfur's Return?**

**IslaTheFairyOfIce: possibly… **

**TheGhost129: yeah, maybe**

**Poppyflower of StormClan: yeah, Bravepaw is a little cute**

**Forzenstream of Oakclan: yeah, but I like Swanpaw**

**LavenderCrystalOfRoses: yeah, I rewrote it because the last flame I got was really mean, but Mistflower is in ThunderClan now and Birchkit was always a girl**

**Alrighty then, here's chapter 11! I hope you like this one!**

_What are you doing with that freak? _Tidepaw thought, his whole body shaking with anger. Should he go confront her? Maybe, but for now he would just watch.

"It was nice seeing you at the Gathering the other night." Swanpaw meowed, just sitting with Bravepaw as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

_No! What are you doing? Just get away from him! It's against the code! You know how we were raised! This isn't good! _Swanpaw never heard his silent plea, and if she did, she ignored it.

"Yeah," Bravepaw meowed. A pause. "I still can't believe it. What I saw that night."

"Me neither." Swanpaw meowed. "I just didn't think it was possible."

_What? What are they talking about?_

Swanpaw stared at Bravepaw with affection gleaming in her amber eyes. Slowly, they moved their tails to touch each other. _That's it!_

Tidepaw crawled out of the reed thicket, and bounded toward the border, lunging at Bravepaw. He easily pinned the cream colored tom to the ground.

"Tidepaw!" Swanpaw growled at her brother. "What are you doing?"

"What am _I _doing? What are _you _doing?" He hissed, still leaving a very frightened Bravepaw on the ground. He still didn't say anything, and looked terrified of Tidepaw, his pale blue eyes shining with fear.

"Tidepaw, I can explain-"

"Explain what?" Tidepaw turned his head to Swanpaw, then stepping off of Bravepaw and almost throwing the small tom away. "That you're breaking the warrior code and visiting a tom with _WindClan?"_

Swanpaw's eyes grew bright with fury.

"You know what? Just because _you're _upset doesn't mean you have to make everyone around you equally miserable! I can do what I want! You can't control me!"

"No!" Tidepaw growled back. "But you're still breaking the code!"

"Tidepaw," Swanpaw said with a sigh, shifting her wight onto her hind legs and sitting down. "First of all, I wasn't breaking the code, in fact, I wasn't over the border and neither was Bravepaw until you came flying out of the bushes and attacked him."_  
_

Tidepaw almost gasped as he realized that he was now over the border due to attacking Bravepaw. _Oh, StarClan. Maybe if I'd paid attention more I'd know what I was doing!_

"Now, look." Swanpaw stated proudly, as if she were a kit showing her mother a new battle move she had learned. "You're over the border now."

Tidepaw growled in frustration and backed away from the border, almost hissing with anger. Bravepaw scrambled away and flipped onto his side back, crawling back to his side of the border and just watching in amazement.

"Yeah, but that didn't count, it was-" Tidepaw began to hiss, but was cut off by an infuriated Swanpaw.

"Oh, what are you, a kit? We weren't _seeing _each other! I couldn't sleep, so I came out here, is that a problem?"

"Yeah, and it just so happened that Bravepaw was here, too." Tidepaw hissed, lashing out his tail in anger.

Swanpaw glared at Tidepaw with fiery amber orbs, clearly not wanting to upset her brother any further. Bravepaw did nothing, as a matter of fact, just watched. What was wrong with him? Tidepaw could tell at least ten different things by looking at Swanpaw; _She's pretty, from RiverClan, no doubt is half ThunderClan, draws all of the attention from the toms, but likes the one that most upsets her brother. _Thenhe looked at Bravepaw, and he nothing came to his mind. He didn't look anything like a cat from WindClan, although Tidepaw could tell he was fast, and looked nothing like the cats from any other Clan. His eyes also revealed nothing, just plain blue eyes that had absolutely no emotion. When Tidepaw looked at him, the only thing that came to mind was a huge question. _Who_ are_ you?_

"Oh, yeah, everyone has their connections, Tidepaw-"

"So you _are _together?" Tidepaw meowed sarcastically, mainly to make his sister angry rather than to prove a point.

"Really?" Swanpaw growled. "You think so? Because I remember you having a special connection with Leaf-"

Tidepaw bristled with anger and was about to cut off Swanpaw, but Bravepaw did the job for him.

"Can I have a say in this?" He asked quietly.

Tidepaw and Swanpaw turned their heads around quickly and angrily.

"No!" They yowled at the same time. Bravepaw flinched and almost jumped, looking as if he wanted to run back to his camp and hide behind his Clanmates. What was his mother thinking when she named him? _He certainly hasn't lived up to his name._ Tidepaw thought angrily.

Tidepaw and Swanpaw sighed at the same time and both turned back to each look at each other.

"Look," Swanpaw started out quiet, but Tidepaw could tell she was about to give him a lecture that would be loud and clear. "I know that you don't understand, but just listen-"

Swanpaw took a long hard stare at Bravepaw until it made both Tidepaw and the cream tom feel uncomfortable. Tidepaw dared not interrupt, not this time.

"It wasn't a coincidence that we met at the Gathering. When we're together, something changes."

Tidepaw eyed her suspiciously, and then back to Bravepaw.

"What changes?"

"Whenever I'm around, Bravepaw is…" Swanpaw looked up at the sky and searched for the right word. "He's cured."

_Get to the point already!_

"Cured of what?" He asked, feeling like his whole life was a gigantic question.

"Cured of what he had before I met him. He's blind."

**DUN DUN DUN! What the holy grail?! How the hell is this possible?! What's gonna happen? How do you think Tidepaw will react to Bravepaw's blindness? Only one way to find out, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**

**QOTD: Do you think that Bravepaw really loves Swanpaw, or is he just using her?**

**Also, if you didn't re-read the story, you probably should, because I changed a lot of things. If you ask why I rewrote it, it was because someone flamed my story really bad and pushed me over the edge. So, yeah, they were really mean to me. I won't tell you their name, but I bet you can probably guess. **

**And I have written a new story called Ashfur's Return as most of you know, and I updated it like three days ago and it didn't get any reviews. Are you boycotting it boycotting or something? It's weird. I just feel like I would get more reviews by now, but I didn't. Dunno, just wondering. If you are boycotting them , though, please tell me why!**

**That's it for now, guys. See ya next time! Don't forget to review!**

**-Willowsong**


	13. Chapter 12

**Pianodevotion: thanks! You're support really helps, and I get what you meant when you reviewed Ashfur's Return. And I also don't understand why people hate Wolfstar's Fate… maybe it's because the chapters are too short**

**TheGhost129: you betcha!**

**Amberstorm233: exactly!**

**A Red Rover: sure! I'll take a look! I'm glad you like the story!**

**LovelyLittleKitten: aw, but I like Swanpaw, and I have some different plans for Bravepaw…**

**Gellpoe: I know, even it think he was cute**

**Pineshadow: yes!**

**Alrighty guys, let's start Chapter 12!**

_"He's what?" Tidepaw hissed, whirling his head _around and looked back and forth between Swanpaw and Bravepaw.

"Are you deaf? I said he's _blind." _Swanpaw growled. "The only thing that can make him see is me."

Tidepaw shook his head slightly, waiting for another explanation, but none came.

"Yeah… but _how?" _He asked, staring at Bravepaw seeming like he couldn't take his eyes off of him. How was this even possible? First, his sister betrayed him by visiting a cat from another Clan, and now this?

"Dunno. It's just that maybe StarClan wants us to meet each other." Swanpaw meowed, her amber gaze drifting toward Bravepaw, who had not said a word not moved a muscles during the entire argument.

"Yeah? Then if StarClan wanted you to be together, why are you in separate Clans?" Tidepaw's point was clear, but Swanpaw's was better.

"Then how else would you explain? Isn't it obvious?" Swanpaw meowed. "You can't keep me forever."

With that, Swanpaw padded off and away from Tidepaw, leaving Bravepaw to cast a terrified look at him and then bound off back to WindClan territory, leaving himself alone.

|^..^|^..^|^..^|

All the next day, he had felt alone. Only Leafpaw had brought him comfort, which had helped, but not with the huge conflict he had been facing. How could his sister do such a thing? He'd never know, but it couldn't be StarClan.

"You look awfully tired," Leafpaw mused as she sat down beside him with a trout beginning to take small bites out of the silver fish.

"Yeah," Tidepaw meowed, not taking his eyes off of the flowing river in the distance. He couldn't believe his sister could do something like that. Maybe there was only one solution… _No! You are _not _going to kill Bravepaw! _

Then another thought came to him. _What if Bravepaw's using Swanpaw so he can see? _If that was the case, Bravepaw would be dead by tomorrow. He shook the thought out of his head. He'd figure all this out later.

"How's training going?" Tidepaw asked Leafpaw. The cream and dark brown she-cat shrugged.

"As good as it'll ever get." She meowed jokingly. "Good news, though; Oakwind says my assessment's coming up soon."

"That's good." Tidepaw meowed. He wished his assessment was soon, although he was happy for his friend.

"What do you think my warrior name will be?" Leafpaw asked out of the random.

Tidepaw suppressed a "hmm" and observed the cream and brown she-cat. "Uhh… Leaftail maybe?"

"Wow, you stink at this." Leafpaw laughed.

"Sorry, I'm trying." Tidepaw purred, looking deep into Leafpaw's dark amber eyes. "What do you think my name will be?"

"Tide…" She narrowed her eyes and looked closer at him. "Tidepool." She finished.

Tidepaw nodded his head and gestured a 'maybe' to her. What would his warrior name be? He'd been so caught up with Swanpaw, he barely had time to think about himself. _Maybe she was right. Maybe I should concentrate on my warrior training rather than Swanpaw._

At training that day, Tidepaw was beaten by everyone. Quietpaw and Leafpaw had defeated him many times. He grunted as he was pinned one last time by Quietpaw.

"Hey, Tidepaw, what's up with you today?" Cherrynose asked, nudging her apprentice to his feet. Tidepaw shook small specks of dust from his fur and shrugged, not knowing if it was from staying up late last night or because of all of the pressure he was under.

He was just glad that Swanpaw wasn't there, but instead was with Waterflame by the river. He wasn't really in the mood to talk to her, nonetheless, Oakwind, considering he was there with his apprentice.

Just as Cherrynose was about to scold her apprentice for being so ignorant, a loud barking could be heard in the distance. Quietpaw, Leafpaw, Tidepaw, Oakwind, and Cherrynose all turned their attention to the noise, eyes widened, ears perked up with alert.

"What was that?" Quietpaw asked, slightly cowering away from the strange noise.

"Fox." Cherrynose breathed, her pupils dilating, then, turning to the three apprentices and the senior warrior and spoke.

"Oakwind, you take Tidepaw and surround the fox from behind, and I'll take Leafpaw and Quietpaw in the front."

Oakwind nodded, and ran off with his son. Tidepaw was the slightest but annoyed, but knowing the danger and importance of the situation, he obeyed without argument.

Oakwind beckoned his son closer with his tail, charging in the direction of the bark they had heard earlier. Tidepaw skidded to a haunt as his father did in front of him, not daring to ask why they had stopped because once he looked he already knew. There, standing not two tail-lengths in front of them, was the fox.

Then, the huge snarling red beast growled and turned its head strait in the direction of Oakwind and Tidepaw, it's rabid yellow eyes filled with fury as white bubbles foamed at its fox charged toward them both, its massive paws pounding harder and harder on the ground with each step.

"Run!" His father yowled. Without taking time to think what his father was doing, he was shoved to his side and stumbled onto the ground.

Before he could blink Tidepaw saw the huge fox already on top of his father, taking a large bit out of his flank. Then, he could tell that Cherrynose, Leafpaw, and Quoetpaw were already onto the fox, but they had come too late.

The fox snarled at them as if to say, "too late" and then dropped Oakwind with its long fangs and ran off, leaving the rest of the patrol to chase it away.

"_No!" _Tidepaw could almost hear the fear in his own voice as he ran up to Oakwind, just as he was about to fall, he leaned against his son for support.

"Oakwind, Oakwind!" Tidepaw yowled at his father, his blue eyes already glazing over with sadness.

"Tidepaw…" he heard his father rasp. "I'm sorry…"

Tidepaw ignored his father but didn't dare drop him from his grasp, regretting everything that he had done to his father, and was too terrified to speak. His father was dead and it was his fault. How could he have been so selfish? How could he have done this to his father? Then, when all came to silence and his mind had stopped thinking, he let out a hoarse whisper.

"What've I done?"

**NOOOOOO! Sorry for the Oakwind fans! What the heck is going on? Why is Swanpaw still visiting Bravepaw, is it just because of the weird pose thingy? Or is it something different?**

**QOTD: how do you think the kits will react to Tidepaw after Oakwind's death?**

**So, let's see them reviews! I want to know what you guys think! **

**#REVIEW**

**#YOLOSWAGREVIEW**

**#SINCEWHENWASTHENUMBERSYMBOLAHASTAGSIGN**


	14. Chapter 13

**winxclubfan1: I will consider your OC**

**Wish Upon A Warrior Cat: well, think of it this way: has an older sibling or cousin ever told you to not do something and then you get annoyed at them? It's like when your parents say, "put on a helmet" or "put your seat belt on" sometimes you get annoyed at them, but really, they're just worried about your safety. The same goes for Swanpaw and Tidepaw. Swanpaw is the type of person who hates it when she's told what to do, so yeah. But I'm glad you like the story!**

**Lunasparks: thanks!**

**Amberstorm223: yeah, but I don't think Tidepaw would actually have the guts to kill Bravepaw**

**SPN Fangirl: thanks for defending me, and yes, Twilight does suck and I was laughing like all day from that review. Thanks!**

**pianodevotion: yeah, that's what I keep saying (not to brag, but people who don't have accounts probably haven't written any stories)**

**LavenderCrystalOfRoses: maybe**

**lwuvwarriors2238: first of all, Twilight sucks man. The Hunger Games was so much better. And I think we can all agree that "lwuvwarrior2238" is a weird name. ****First, I think you were trying to say Iwuvwarriors2238. Instead of using an "I" you used a lowercase "L". Check your spelling next time. Oh, and before you flame my story, you might want to watch out for SPN Fangirl. She has a bit of a temper. (No offense, SPN Fangirl)**

**Ok, here's the next chapter!**

_"Tidepaw," a voice called, soft and soothing. "Tidepaw!"_

Tidepaw wouldnt remove his eyes from Oakwind's body which lay beaten down in the medicine den. The only cats who were in the den was Tidepaw, and he could feel the presence of Swanpaw behind him.

His life was nothing now. Swanpaw wasn't there and nether was his father. _No, _he thought, _not yet. At least I still have Leafpaw._

"What do you want?" He asked, not taking his eyes off of Oakwind's unmoving body. "What more do you want from me?"

He turned around with anger in his eyes for the first time. He didn't think he could ever be angry at his sister, but he was.

"Tidepaw," his sister began with a sigh, "You can't stay in here all the time. Oakwind needs to be buried- you need to come out. You haven't eaten in days."

He didn't say anything to her.

"Since when do you care for my well being?" He growled. "You have _never _cared for me. It was always that stupid WindClan freak."

Swanpaw's eyes revealed nothing. Not anger. Not sadness. Just plain nothingness.

"Tidepaw, you wouldn't understand." She meowed. "Besides, you can't just yell at the kits like that. It's not their fault, and you know it."

Now Tidepaw was angry. Although, she was right,but he was furious.

"Oakwind's death was my fault, Swanpaw. But I'm sorry. But I've realized that the kits aren't my problem. It's me."

Swanpaw didn't say another word, but left the den and left Tidepaw alone once again.

|^..^|^..^|^..^|

Although it was the elders' job to bury Oakwind, Tidepaw wanted to do it himself. He thought that maybe using his energy to bury his dead father would help, but it didn't. It only made it worse. If he was asked, he could tell exactly how many paw fouls of dirt he scooped out. He would never forget.

During the days of their father's death, Tidepaw was grateful that Swanpaw was closer to him, and more forgiving.

It was odd, but after Oakwind died, Tidepaw felt more and more the need to see Mistflower. He hadn't seen her at the Gathering, and not since ThunderClan came to claim her that day, it was a long time.

As he lay in his nest that night, a thought came to him. Without waking anyone, not even Swanpaw, he padded out of the den and out of camp, crossing the stepping stones until he was right by the Sunningrocks. He knew that the Sunningrocks belonged to ThunderClan at the time, which was why he was there.

_What makes you think she'll come? She's probably sleeping right now, and if so, she probably won't care._

He tool the thought back. Mistflower did care, and maybe she knew about what happened after she left. If not, he would have to tell her. _That's if she comes…_

As if on queue, a misty gray she-cat with lighter swirls on her pelt emerged from the forest, her blue eyes matching Tidepaw's. The moon shimmered off of her pelt, looking like stars reflecting off of the river.

"Mistflower?" How could she know that he was there?

"Tidepaw?" Mistflower looked surprised to see her son, but had the same look that Tidepaw had. She wanted to see him, too.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"I- I…" He couldn't believe it. His mother looked so much older than she did when she was in RiverClan, and more drawn out. "I was looking for you."

Mistflowr almost purred but sat down and wrapped her silver tail neatly around her paws, beckoning Tidepaw closer. Tidepaw hesitated, but slowly made his way closer to her.

"I heard about Oakwind's death." She mentioned, not looking at Tidepaw. Tidepaw nodded.

"I'm sorry." He meowed. "It was my fault he died. If I hadn't…" He stopped. It wasn't cold, but he shivered.

"It's not your fault. Yes, I know that he took another mate, but that was the right thing to do. Our love was against the code."

For the first ten, he realized what Mistflower was saying. Tidepaw and Swanpaw were against the code. They didn't belong.

"Mistflower?" He asked, looking up at his mother who he'd missed so much, and wondered why he hadn't come to her before.

"Yeah?" She asked.

"I don't know what to do." He began. "Swanpaw's seeing a cat from WindClan. I don't know what to do. Help me."

Mistflower diverted her blue gaze to Tidepaw, looking at him with eyes full of love.

"You look after her." She meowed, her eyes not revealing anything. Then, with a flick of her tail, he stood up and padded into the gorse. And once again, she was gone from Tidepaw's life.

**Aw, poor Tidepaw! His father and mother just abandoned him with a whole crapload of trouble that he needs to take care of on his own. If you ask me, I think they're forcing him to grow up too soon.**

**QOTD: what do you think will happen now that Tidepaw has all of this stress on his shoulders?**

**Ooooohh! I forgot to tell you guys, I rewrote Stormstar's Legacy, so if you want to check it out, stop by and leave a review so I know how it's going so far. Is it better? Is it terrible? I don't know, you tell me!**

**-Willowsong**


	15. Chapter 14

**IslaTheFairyOfIce: yeah, you could say**

**Petalwish: Aww, thanks so much! That brightened my day! I like your stories, too! **

_In the past moon, Tidepaw had become closer to Leafpaw. _Although they were close friends, Tidepaw couldn't help but feel that she was ignoring him. Maybe it was because she became a warrior, and had more business to do, but Tidepaw couldn't shake the feeling that something was up.

So, Tidepaw spent some of his time with Echopaw, as Swanpaw was either training, with Bravepaw, or sleeping because she had been up all night with him. Surprisingly enough, he was almost fine with not talking to Swanpaw. When he did, he realized that by now they forgave each other for what had happened, and moved on, still being brother and sister.

They'd been close, but Tidepaw still missed Leafpaw.

"Barkpaw, do you uphold the cost of the warrior code even at the cost of your life?"

"I do!" The brown tom meowed confidentially.

"Quietpaw, do you uphold the cost of the warrior code even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Quietpaw meowed silently, hence his name.

"Leafpaw, do you uphold the cost of the warrior code even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Leafpaw meowed softly, her beautiful cream and brown pelt shimmering slightly in the wind.

"Than from this moment on, you shall be known as Barkleap, Quietshadow, and Leafsplash!"

"Barkleap! Quietshadow! Leafsplash!" The Clan cheered, but Tidepaw's was the loudest. Leafsplash was almost a moon younger than Quietshadow and Barkleap, but she was made a warrior at the same time, considering her skill.

He had made his way through the crowd to see her, but decided better of it. She wasn't talking to him, but Tidepaw felt left out.

That wasn't the only ceremony made that day. Mudkit, Birchkit, and Indigokit were all apprenticed. Mudpaw to Hailwing, Birchpaw to Ripplepool, and Indigopaw to Shellclaw.

Deciding that maybe trying to mend the relationship he had with the kits, he padded over to congratulate them.

"Congra-"

"Don't talk to us!" Mudpaw growled. Tidepaw almost took a step back, but then came forward with anger. "It's _your _fault he died! You let him die!"

He felt as if something inside of him had broken. It was as if his heart snapped in half. Now he was angry. He Mudpaw had no right to say that to him. And if Swanpaw heard, she would have thought the same.

"Shut up, kit." Tidepaw hissed back. "What do you know? You don't know _anything _about me, or Oakwind for that matter. Don't talk about him like that. Trust me, I don't care if you're my blood or not, I will rip you to shreds."

Mudpaw out on a tough look, but behind his anger, Tidepaw could see fear. Terror. He was scared out of his wits in his green eyes.

Birchkit and Indigokit just looked shocked, not saying anything but having their mouths gaped open.

Tidepaw said nothing as he walked away to find Cherrynose. The dark ginger she-cat was waiting for him by the camp entrance, snow slightly dappling her pelt. Tidepaw sighed. Leaf-bare had only just begun, but he already felt the snow creep up on him.

He waited for a patrol to go on, when he saw Leafsplash and Barkleap heading on their own patrol.

"Cherrynose, can I go on Leafsplash's patrol?" He asked eagerly. Cherrynose stopped and looked over Tidepaw's shoulder, examining the patrol and noting that there were only tqo cats.

"Yes, but ask one of them first." She meowed.

"Thanks!"

Tidepaw ran over and stopped Leafsplash to ask her, as he wasn't so eager to see Barkleap.

"Leafsplash, can I join your first patrol as a warrior?" He asked, waiting for her to say yes.

"Well… actually, it was just going to be me and Barkleap, you know, I don't want you to fall back on your training."

Tidepaw looked down and nodded in understandment. Leafsplash smiled and said, "maybe next time." Tidepaw couldn't help tbut feel like there were other reasons why Leafsplash wasn't letting him on the patrol.

He wrinkled his nose and joined Cherrynose on her patrol with Swanpaw and Waterflame. They agreed to go around by the WindClan border, meeting up with Barkleap and Leafsplash's patrol that came in the other direction.

"WindClan's been at our border since StarClan knows when." Cherrynose began. "The least we can do is check."

Tidepaw nodded, bounding across RiverClan territory with Cherrynose, Waterflame, and Swanpaw by his side. To his surprise, when they arrived, they already saw Barkleap and Leafsplash battling dozens of WindClan warriors.

Cherrynose let out a loud battle cry and charged at the WindClan invaders. Tidepaw followed her lead and yowled loudly. Then, a though came to him that almost made him slow down. What would happen if he saw Bravepaw? Would he attack him? He felt an odd connection to him, as if he shouldn't attack him.

Then, he sped up again with realization. _Wow! A battle! This is my first battle as an apprentice!_

**Hey guys! Wow, I can't believe I got TWO updates in the last hour! I'm on fire! *this girl is on fire* sorry I just had to! Haha!**

**QOTD: do you think I'm awesome for two updates in one hour? (Yeah, I think I'm awesom)**

**So, that might be all for today. Unless I get on fire again and update again, although this chapter was kind of short. Sorry! I'm in a bit of a hurry to finish this story because I have all of these ideas at once and I'm SOO excited! Keep an eyes out for another update! And also, read Stormstar's Legacy if you haven't already!**

**-Willowsong**


	16. Chapter 15

**Amberstorm223: thanks for the review!**

**pianodevotion: haha thanks!**

**U Cerial: Yay! Cookies! (::) (I am so going to use this emoji more often!)**

**Warriors Fan 12: thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying it!**

**Chapter Fourteen**

_Tidepaw screeched and lunged for a _dark brown tabby, tussling with him and writing on the ground before he was finally pinned by him.

Tidepaw struggled to free himself, and then was pinned again, his lungs screaming for air. Then, anther figure came and threw the tabby off of him. Tidepaw coughed and took in a deep breath. He flipped onto his stomach and stood up, only to see that the cat who had saved him was Bravepaw.

_What? _

With no time to marvel over this, he leaped onto another WindClan warrior, a dark silver tom who looked about the age of an apprentice. It was Sootpaw.

"Fish-breath!" Sootpaw growled, dodging Tidepaw's sharp claws just above his shoulders.

"Ha! Typical WindClan-" Tidepaw began, but was tripped by Sootpaw's claws, sweeping him off of his feet. "…always hiding behind their insults!"

Tidepaw stood up and then did the same technic that Sootpaw tried on him, he clawed his legs, causing him to fall to the ground. Tidepaw seized his chance and leaped onto the dark apprentice, landing blow after blow on him.

Then, when he decided he'd had enough, he leaped off of him. He looked around, seeing that Sootpaw had ran off, and then turned around seeing Iceclaw, the WindClan deputy, on top of Iceclaw.

Tidepaw yowled loudly and charged into the white tom, prying him off of Leafsplash and giving her a chance to catch her breath. Iceclaw was better than Tidepaw thought, though. As soon as Tidepaw thought he had him down on the ground, the tom rolled around and did the opposite because of his small size compared to the large deputy.

Iceclaw grabbed him by the scruff, throwing him back toward the gorge. Tidepaw skidded along the ground, trying to find his grip on the ground with his claws, but it was too late. His body tumbled over the edge, but it seemed as if he didn't fall. Something sharp grasped him by the neck, causing him not to fall.

He could finally breath, opening his eyes he saw Leafsplash who was holding him up.

"Leafsplash!" He sighed with relief.

"Thank me later, we got trouble." Leafsplash meowed, almost gagging on Tidepaw's scruff, but pulled him over the edge and lay him on the ground.

Two more WindCan warriors faced them when they surfaced, one tom and a she-cat, all wearing angry looks on their faces.

"You got the left, I got the right," Leafsplash meowed, leaping on the she-cat. Tidepaw couldn't help but feel angry at her. _So now you're blocking me out and then telling me what to do? That's just unfair._

"Really?" Tidepaw meowed, jumping onto the tom. "So that's it, you juts shutting me out and then telling me what to do?

He clung to the tom's back, seeing he couldn't hear their fight, and even if the tom could, he didn't care.

"What!" Leafsplash growled, tussling with the she-cat she attacked. "It's not _my _fault that you hang around Echopaw all day!"

"At least I'm not around Barkleap all the time!" Tidepaw retorted back, raking his claws down to WindClan warrior's back as he slid off.

Before Leafsplash could reply back, the IceClan deputy yowled for retreat, drawling to two warriors back to where they came from. There was only about seven cats on the patrol, outnumbering the six cats from RiverClan, but still, they were beaten.

_Yes! I won my first battle!_

But he still had to face Leafsplash. "Really?" The cream and brown she-cat exclaimed, her eyes lit up with anger.

"Really what?" Tidepaw repeated. "How you keep ignoring me?"

"It's not like you care, all you're doing is hanging around the medicine den with Echopaw!" She hissed.

Tidepaw was thankful that the RiverClan patrol had gone ahead, leaving Leafsplash and Tidepaw to sort things out on their own.

"Leafsplash…" Tidepaw meowed with a sigh. "If you'd just said something. I was just upset that you weren't paying attention to me because of Barkleap."

Leafsplash's dark amber gaze softened. "Tidepaw, I was only with him because you were with Echopaw."

"No, Leafsplash don't worry, Echopaw means nothing to me." He paused, not sure what to say to his friend. So maybe if we get past that, then maybe we have a shot at being friends?"

Tidepaw looked at her through deep blue eyes of longing. He hoped he hadn't said anything to upset her. He didn't want to lose her friendship, although, he couldn't help but feel that something had drawn him toward her. Something so powerful, that it was stronger than the river's riptide.

Tidepaw was going to respond, but then did something even more shocking. She licked his forehead with her soft pink tongue.

"Maybe more than friends."

|^..^|^..^|^..^|

During the past few days, Tidepaw had been ready for his assessment. Besides Aokwind's death And Swanfeather's betrayal, he felt better than ever. Perhaps it was Leafsplash.

"You ready?"

Tidepaw looked up from chewing on his trout, only to see a dark ginger figure blocking out the sun. Then he remembered, today was his assessment!

Tidepaw jumped up with alert and almost skipped out of camp with Cherrynose. "Yep!"

Cherrynose purred as they padded out of camp and onward to the river. The ginger deputy had assigned him to catch four pieces of or water, and then was off to watch him from the reeds.

Tidepaw wrinkled his nose and wadded into the river, hoping that the fish in the river would come easily. It was Leaf-bare, and very cold in the water, but the ice had melted because of the recent warm weather they received last sunrise and the sunrises before that. Despite the snow, it'd been warm latley. He hoped he didn't have to hunt on land, although the water was cold. He was never any good at hunting on land, so he hoped to find today's fresh-kill in the water.

Tidepaw shivered in the frigid water, his fur standing on end. He ducked his head under the water, returning back to the surface with a small silver trout.

He dragged the small fish to shore and buried it in the soft sand, then went back to the river.

As he continued throughout the day, he'd caught two more fish and a plimp mouse which he'd found on land. He collected his prey, and then went back to Cherrynose.

"How'd I do?" He asked.

"We'll see…" Cherynose meowed suspiciously, narrowing her eyes. "Just kidding, come with me, put the prey in the fresh-kill pile."

Tidepaw sighed with relief and flopped the unmoving fresh-kill into the pile, then sat by the apprentices' den with Swanpaw and waited patiently for Rushstar to call the meeting.

|^..^|^..^|^..^|

"Tidepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code even at the cost of your life?"

"I do!" Tidepaw meowed boldly, puffing out his chest with pride.

"Swanpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Swanpaw said silently, although guilt had clearly rang through her pride and happiness of the day.

"Then from this moment on, you shall be known as Tidefish and Swanfeather." Rushstar boomed, his voice sending echoes across camp.

"Tidefish! Swanfeather! Tidefish! Swanfeather!" The Clan cheered.

Pride swelled in Tidefish's chest as he made his way out of camp to sit vigil that night. Although it was cold and Tidefish could see his own breath, it was the most beautiful night. The stars seemed to swirl around the blue-black sky, shining a pale silver light down on Tidefish's brown tabby pelt.

He closed his eyes and breathed in heavily, wafting in the delicious scent of pure, crisp snow that still lay on the ground and the misty spray of the river, which was no longer frozen over with ice.

Tidefish leaned back on his haunches, took it all in. _Seems like I've been waiting forever. Finally here, finally a warrior! I finally lived my dream! _He thought with pride. _No, not yet. _He thought, the voice in his head sounding exactly like Oakwind's that he almost checked to see if his dead father was there. _Not yet. This journey is far from over._

**Wow, it seemed like forever since I updated, when in reality it was only like three days. What do you guys think? How's Tidefish's warrior name? Is it tacky? **

**QOTD: what do you think the rest Tidefish's "journey" will be like?**

**That might be it for today, but it was a lot! Also, don't forget to read & review the new Stormstar's Legacy! Anyway, see you guys next time!**

**-Willowsong**


	17. Chapter 16

**Lunarsparks: yeah it does sound RiverClanish **

**SPN Fangirl: that's what I said!**

**Pineshadow: sure! I'd be glad to give you some tips, and tell me when you get your account I can't wait! I have some tips on my profile, but if you need more, PM me when you get an account and then I'll give you some. But I'm happy you like the story!**

**Amberstorm223: oops! Thanks, I'll fix it! Also, I just realized that your profile pic is the Doctor! OMG never noticed that before!**

**Silvermoon of WindClan: thanks!**

**Okay, guys! Here's the next chapter!**

_The reddish golden sun peaked above the _horizon and shone its bright rays just in time for Tidefish to shake himself from falling asleep. Swanfeather was still awake, although looking exhausted, but stood as strait as she could.

Quietshadow approached them from camp and nodded at them. "You can go in now." He meowed, dipping his head. "Congradulations."

Tidefish felt a purr rising in his throat, tickling his mouth a bit, but bounded after Quietshadow and Swanfeather as they made their way into camp. He breathed in the fresh air, and it somehow smelt better than it had yesterday. Today was the day he was a warrior. Today was the day that he made a difference.

Tidefish smiled at Leafsplash as they passed each other, and then found themselves brushing against each other in unison, purring until they reached the river. Tidefish leaped in, soon following Leafsplash. The river was warm, and the current not too rough. Although it was still dawn, the sun shone brightly, and despite the beginning of Leaf-bare, it was warmer out than expected. He hadn't expected to see Swanfeather, but somehow she was there.

"I'll be right back," he meowed hastily to Leafsplash, then wadded out of the river and onto WindClan turf, crossing the Twoleg bridge first.

He swiftly ran over to her, but was disappointed to see Bravepaw- or if he had a warrior name- with her. Swanfeather rolled her eyes as she saw him. Both Bravepaw and Swanfeather were sitting by the border line, tails entwined and heads in each other's shoulders. Swanfeather stretched out from Bravepaw's shoulders, and loosened her grip on his tail, and marched over to confront Tidefish. Bravepaw did nothing, but still looked at his love with longing and confusion.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Tidefish growled.

"Come on, Tidefish, I'm busy right now." Swanfeather hissed. "Besides, it's none of your business."

"Of course it's my business!" Tidefish retorted, his pale blue glare raging with the fires of anger.

Bravepaw said nothing, just stood there awkwardly. Swanfeather's nostrils flared with anger as her fur bristled, not daring to move, just standing in between the border.

"Look, whatever happens between Bravespirit and I has nothing to do with you." Swanfeather explained calmly, her amber eyes lit with love as she gazed at Bravespirit. _Gross._

"I'm just trying to protect you-"

"Exactly! Stop trying to protect _me _for once and worry about yourself!" Swanfeather argued. Tidefish might have thought she was foolish, but Swanfeather didn't just say this to get rid of him. For the first time, he realized the reason behind her theory. She was only concerned for Tidefish. She really _did _care for him. He shook the thought out of his head. Even if that was true, what Swanfeather was doing was still wrong.

"But your still breaking the code!" Tidefish hissed, lashing out his tail in anger.

"I know. But love doesn't end at boundaries." Swanfeather mewed, shifting her snow-white paws back and forth uncomfortably.

"Don't give me that fox-dung, you know that's just a stupid saying. Look at the way we were raised!" Tidefish protested. "There is a right and there is a wrong here and you know it, but instead, you like to hang around freaks like _him _all day long!"

Bravespirit looked slightly offended by Tidefish's insult, but did nothing. _Probably too scared to do anything. What a coward, he doesn't even stand for his name. _Swanfeather just glared at him threw vivid amber eyes of anger, not taking her intense gaze off of Tidefish. "Bravespirit, could you excuse us?"

Bravespirit nodded and dipped his head to her bounding off back to the golden grasses of the moor, disappearing behind a layer of heather thicket. Tidefish watched him all the way until he was out of sight, then turned to Swanfeather.

"Why must you ruin my private time?" Swanfeather growled casually, then standing up and turning to leave, but was stopped by Tidefish.

"Why must _you _break the warrior code to be happy? Is this your idea of a good time?" He hissed, but Swanfeather heard none of it. She padded away from the border, crossing the Twoleg bridge, and then leaped back into the river.

He fumed angrily as he made his way back toward RiverClan camp. Why couldn't someone just listen to him for once? Maybe he'd never know. Maybe he was just a handsome face that talked although no one ever stopped to hear what he was talking about.

"All cats old enough to swim gather here for a Clan meeting!" Rushstar's yowl snapped Tidefish out of his thoughts. Without a thought, he padded over to Rushstar as he made the announcement.

"Hailwing has spotted a dog near RiverClan camp." Rushstar meowed. Gasps of fear erupted through the camp, hushed whispers of gossip splead from cat to cat like wildfire.

"Hailwing," the tabby leader turned his gaze to the gray tom. "You will lead the patrol with Tidefish, Cherrynose, and Waterflame."

_Dogs! I hate dogs!_ Tidefish thought, his fur standing on end. _Well, youve never really had an encounter with them before._

Tidefish shrugged and went to find Hailwing. He wasn't even surprised when he saw Mudlaw harassing him and begging if he could come along with him.

"No, Mudpaw, Rushstar didn't say for you to come," Hailwing meowed.

"But why didn't he say my name?" Mudpaw pouted, exhaling deeply with frustration. "I'm the best apprentice in the Clan!"

_Yeah, I know a few warriors who'd disagree with that- me included. _Tidefish thought wryly, wrinkling his nose as he waited impatiently for Hailwing, seeing that Cherrynose and Waterflame had done the same.

"Mudpaw, you're the most _annoying _apprentice in the Clan." Hailwing growled. "Now drop it."

Tidefish put his paw to his mouth to hold back laughter. He could almost see red steam of anger puffing from Mudpaw's ears as he stormed back to the apprentices' den in anger. _Sorry, kit. Being annoying won't get you anywhere in life._ As they padded on toward the stepping stones where the dog was sighted coming from, Tidefish sent a quick prayer to StarClan, thanking them for not having to mentor Mudpaw.

"This way," Hailwing whispered, flicking his tail at the patrol. Tidefish nodded and followed silently, wafting in the fresh scent of a dog. Then, right by the stones came a huge, snarling brown beast with powerful muscles and yellowed sharp fangs.

"Attack!" Hailwing yowled, bunching his muscles and charging at the dog, which had turned it's massive head toward the patrol, white foam spraying out of its mouth.

The dog snarled and growled, barking loudly at the cats. _Here goes nothing, _Tidefish thought, lunging at the dog and clinging onto it's back and digging his long claws into its short-haired skin. The brown creature howled in pain and anger, shaking his whole body vigorously, but Tidefish and the others held on tight, except for Hailwing.

_"Ruff! Ruff! Ruff!" _The dog snarled.

Tidefish was on the back, Cherrynose and Waterflame on either side, and Hailwing on the head. The dog shook his head up and down, throwing off Hailwing violently. The thick-furred gray tom landed on a stepping stones as the dog splashed around in the water which only came up to its lower paws.

"Hailwing!" Cherrynose screeched, throwing herself off of the dog and toward her mate, who was bleeding badly from his head, turning a streak of the tides red.

"Cherrynose!" Tidefish growled through a clump of fur. Before the dark ginger she-cat could respond, an angry yowl from the Twolegplace could be heard. Waterflame nodded for Tidefish to run, as both of hem did. Cherrynose dragged the lifeless Hailwing behind her until she was safe in the bracken beside Tidefish and Waterflame.

A tall figure, even larger than the dog with swaying arms and pinkish paws with little hair on its head waltzed into the river, holding a rope in its hands. It hit the dog with one of its paws, wrapping the rope around its neck and yowling at it.

"What is-"

"_Shh!" _Cherrynose hissed at Tidefish for silence.

The creature- Tidefish now recognized as a Twoleg- yanked the rope hard, causing dog to whimper as he stormed back to Twolegplace. Once he left, Tidefish heard himself breathing again and sighing with relief. That was until he saw Hailwing.

Cherrynose pulled him out in the open, taking short breaths and pawing his injured head with river water.

"Waterflame, go get Fernstripe," Cherrynose ordered the silver tabby. She nodded and raced off back to camp.

"Will he live?" Tidefish suddenly asked. Cherrynose didn't answer, just kept pouring water on his injury.

"Cherrynose-"

"Shut up!" She hissed, her voice wavering with fear. When Tidefish opened his mouth to say something, she only cut him off again, "That's an order."

Tidefish nodded as Fernstripe and Waterflame came through. Fernstripe pressed cobwebs and some other strange herb that Tidefish didn't recognize against Hailwing's bleeding head wound. As Hailwing's breathing shallowed, she pressed her head against his chest, listening for a heartbeat. After what seemed like a moon of doing this, she stopped and stood back up.

"He's dead," she meowed solemnly.

"What?" Cherrynose gasped. "No! He can't be!"

Fernstripe said nothing as Cherrynose continued saying, "wake up!" To her long dead mate. Tidefish didn't know Hailwing all that well, but Cherrynose, he did. She was likea mother to him, and seeing her like this almost wrecked him.

"Wake up!" She whispered. No response. There never was a response. Ever.

* * *

As Waterflame and Fernstripe carried Hailwing's body back to camp, Tidefish had tried to comfort Cherrynose.

"Hey," he meowed quietly. Cherrynose barely noticed him, only casted him a feared glance.

"Look, Hailwing was-"

"You don't know." Cherrynose interrupted him.

Tidefish looked taken aback. "Sorry?" He asked, almost closing his eyes, ready for Cherrynose to screech at him with fury.

"Tidefish, you're a good warrior, and I love you like my own, but you don't know." Cherrynose meowed, not daring to look at her former apprentice.

"Don't know what?" Tidefish asked curiously, walking backwards in order to face the dark ginger deputy.

"Before we went on the patrol, I learned from Fernstripe that I was expecting kits. Hailwing's kits." She said sadly. "And now he's gone, and he'll never see them grow up."

Tidefish didn't say anything. He didn't know _what _to say. Maybe it was just better if he sat in silence with her, praying to StarClan that she would find someone to father her kits.

|^..^|^..^|^..^|

"All cats old enough to swim gather here for a Clan meeting!" Rushstar yowled as soon as he had heard the terrible news. "As most of you know, we lost Hailwing due to a dog attack, and although we may mourn for him, we need to move on. Mudpaw needs a mentor,"

Rushstar's amber eyes scanned the camp for warriors. None volunteered.

"Before I pick, are there any cats who would like to mentor Mudpaw?" Rushstar asked.

_Nope! No thank you!_

But then he saw Mudpaw. Brown fur knotty, eyes dreary, upset that no one in the Clan wanted to mentor him. Maybe they all thought he was too annoying. Well, they were right about that.

"No one?" Rushstar continued, slicing through the eery silence. "Very well, Mudpaw's new mentor will be-"

"Wait!" Tidefish interrupted. _Oh, StarClan, stop me from what I'm about to do! _Every head and every pair of eyes turned their attention to Tidefish.

"Wait," he said, more quietly this time. "I will. I will mentor Mudpaw."

**A/N: Bad Tidefish! Why are you mentoring a mouse-brain? Haha, even I hate Mudpaw, although I think what Tidefish did was a good thing. Maybe I'm the only one, though. He's stuck-up, arrogant, and must weigh a ton he's so full of himself.**

**QOTD: who is your favorite character so far?**

**So? How was this chapter? I know, it was really long. Not THAT long, but longer than the rest. What do you think about Tidefish's relationship with Cherrynose? Do you feel bad for Hailwing? I do. First he had to mentor a mouse-brain, and then he gets his brain blasted out by a dog. Well, that's it for today. See ya next time!**

**-Willowsong**


	18. Chapter 17

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**Thanks for reviewing y'all! Here's the next chapter!**

_Did I really just say that? _Tidefish thought, closing his eyes and begging for Rushstar to say no because he was still a young warrior. He didn't know why he even mention the fact of mentoring Mudpaw, maybe it was so he didn't look like a big jerk. He didn't know.

"Really?" Rushstar turned his attention to Tidefish, who had no opened his eyes to look at his leader. "You will mentor Mudpaw?"

_Fox-dung. I have no other options now. _Tidefish hissed inwardly, his claws digging into the ground with anger. _Hey, this won't be too bad. If you have an apprentice, you're one step closer to becoming deputy!_ Now that he thought about it, he _did _want to become deputy, and after that, probably leader. _Tidestar. What a wonderful name. _He thought of leading his Clan into battle, having kits who would one day follow his pawsteps. It was a wonderful feeling, and now that he knew he was one step closer, it felt even better.

"Y-yes." Tidefish stuttered. "I will mentor Mudpaw." He held his chin high, repeating his words more boldly than ever before.

"Very well," Rushstar meowed, looking thankful toward Tidefish, considering it meant that he wouldn't have to mentor Mudpaw. "Tidefish, may you pass down your intelligence and ambition to Mudpaw."

"Tidefish! Tidefish! Tidefish!" The Clan cheered loudly and happily, most likely thankful for Tidefish. He knew that any Clan member didn't want to have to mentor Mudpaw. Sure, they hated him, but they had a good reason. Mudpaw was an annoying, stupid, arrogant, stuck-up, show-off who thoug he was better than anyone else, which earned him no friends. _Yeah, but it's his own fault that everyone hates him. He brought it upon himself._

"Come on, Mudpaw," Tidefish growled as he saw the dark brown tom padding up to him.

"I'm not taking orders from _you!" _Mudpaw hissed. "You killed _my _dad!"

Tidefish felt the slightest bit hurt as Mudpaw emphasized the "my" as if saying that Oakwind was not his own father to begin with. But he didn't let it show. He out on the same monotonous face that he always had when talking to do kits.

"Fine, stay here and never become a warrior," Tidefish hissed, padding toward the camp entrance, weather or not Mudpaw was following him.

"Yeah, well, you're not a warrior either!" Mudpaw growled. Tidefish ignored him. Now he was just talking nonsense. "You're just a _Halfclanner!" _The dark brown apprentice spat out the last words. He stopped, turned around.

"What did you call me?" Tidefish snarled, his face reddening with anger. "I'm the one with the warrior name, you're the stupid one."

Mudpaw opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again.

"Are you coming, annoying little brat?" Tidefish hissed and trotted to the river. Mudpaw whimpered and skittered along with Tidefish.

|^..^|^..^|^..^|

"Just come in," Tidefish sighed with frustration as Mudpaw refused to step in the frigid waters of Leaf-bare. He growled inwardly as Mudpaw shook his head with refusal once again.

"Nope." He pouted.

"Get in before I get you in!" Tidefish hissed, wading out of the water and shaking off his wet fur onto Mudpaw. The dark brown tom shrieked as the cold water touched his fur, taking several steps back. Still, he denied the water. Tidefish yowled with anger and pinned Mudpaw, shoving him into the water.

"Listen up," He growled as Mudpaw's fur stood on end, not daring to move because he was Adrian that he might break into tiny little ice-chips.

"Let's get things strait, you follow my instructions, you'll be a good warrior. If you want to be a stubborn piece of Fox-dung, that's not my problem." He meowed, almost chuckling at the end of his sentence.

Mudpaw shivered when he spoke, but his words were clear; "You know, when _I'm _leader, I'm going to banish you,"

"When _you're _leader?" Tidefish asked sarcastically. "Please, even if you _do _become leader, that's after I do."

"Really?" Mudpaw growled, leaping out of the water. "You're just a half-clanner, they're _never _going to let you be deputy."

"And you, just an apprentice," He retorted.

"At least my mother wasn't a ThunderClan hag who-"

"Shut up!" Tidefish screeched with fury and attacked Mudpaw hurtling him into the river. He held his claws up to Mudpaw's throat, but thought better of it. Water splashed up on both of them, and if Tidefish didn't kill Mudpaw, the raging waves would- or the freezing water, but either way, the water would be the death of them.

_Are you going to let him win, just like that? He wants attention, even if it means death. Think about it. All he said to you was words, he didn't even have to use his paws, and yet he won._

He stopped, stepping back from his apprentice. He wouldn't kill him. He couldn't. _Could you? Could you actually kill this innocent cat? He's barely out of the nursery, could you do it? He's your brother… no he's not! Just because he's related to you doesn't mean he's family. You have to earn that part._

He stopped, but not before a huge wave came by from the opposite direction.

"Get out of the way!" Tidefish yowled, shoving his apprentice out of the waves and then becoming engulfed by them. Salty water surged into his mouth and stinging his eyes. He screwed them shut against the pain as he tumbled around violently in the waves.

Finally he felt the sand beneath his body as he lay down on the shore, coughing up water as he lay. _Stupid apprentice._

"Tidefish! Tidefish! Tidefish! Tidefish! _Tidefish!" _Mudpaw's worried shriek sounded from the distance. He didn't know if it was the cold water or the fact that his lungs sucked at being lungs in the water, but there was a strange dizziness and feverish feeling, and Tidefish didn't like it.

He couldn't really tell what happened after that, but it felt like paws nudging him in the right direction, and the presence of dozens of cats around him until he collapsed into a feathery nest. He felt like he could sleep for years.

|^..^|^..^|^..^|

He knew he'd only slept for a day, but when he woke up, he was tempted to ask, "What season is it?" But he stopped himself. That would be foolish, he didn't, in fact, sleep for three moons.

"What happened whlie I was out?" Tidefish asked, seeing the worried look in Swanfeather's face as she sat beside his nest.

"Fernstripe says you'be only got a cold, but…" Swanfeather trailed off, diverting her amber gaze from Tidefish and pressed her lips together.

"But what?" Tidefish meowed, swallowing a bite of the trout his sister had brought him.

"Well, it's just that Leaf-bare's here now and…" She paused. "Greencough's spreading through the camp."

"So?" Tidefish asked, wondering why his sister had told him this.

"So?" His sister repeated, standing up and casting a furious glare at Tidefish. "So, it means that your vulnerable because of your cold!"

Tidefish rolled his eyes and sighed in annoyance. "Well, everybody dies at some point in their life,"

"Tidefish!" Swanfeather gasped in shock, whacking a paw at her brother's head. "Don't say something like that, you stupid furball!"

He rolled his eyes again, but said nothing. Although he was frightened beyond believe. He didn't want to get Greencough, and he didn't want to die, but he was more worried about his Clanmates than himself. _You'll be fine! You're always fine! Besides, you shouldn't be afraid of something that can't even speak! _He thought. _Yes, but sickness is the most powerful enemy on is earth. It kills without using claws, it doesn't get tired, and there's no possible way to kill it. It's like fighting an enemy when you're deaf and blind. I don't there's a way out of this one. _

**A/N: Sp what did you guys think of this chapter? How about Tidefish's sickness and the Greencough spreading through camp? Will he live? Well, of course he does, because of the title. So, was this a good chapter? What do you think about Mudpaw? What about the competition to become leader first? Who will win?**

**QOTD: who is your least favorite character?**

**Thats it for today, folks! See ya next time!**

**-Willowsong**


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